Not Where I Belong
by LishaChan
Summary: Briar was sent to the mines, but has been brought to Winding Circle after a near death experience. Learning his powers and getting along with a new family will be a challange, but anything is possible. Eventually SB. Rated for violence and language.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing of the Circle of Magic, all rights belong to the wondrous author Tamora Pierce.

**Summary:** What if Briar had not been saved by Niko? Instead, what if he went somewhere where not even the plants could comfort him? Rosethorn must come to his rescue, but could she be too late?

**Not Where I Belong**

**Chapter One**

* * *

**In Hajra, port city of Sotat:**

It was a bright and sunny day which would have made the young thief quite happy, seeing as his working conditions were not too wet to work in. Plus a lot of the wealthier citizens of Hajra would be in the market enjoying the nice weather and spending money. Very easy for the pickpocket to nab a few purses and bring them to the Thief- Lord.

Instead, the boy, who was known as Roach, was sitting in a prison cell with the rest of gang, waiting to be sentenced to either the docks, the mines, or the galleys. You were to work at your assigned job for the rest of your life. Life that wouldn't last very long. Under those working conditions Roach knew that you would probably die within two years. Unless, that is, you managed to escape, which was highly unlikely.

The heavy footsteps of the cell guard headed down the hall to where Roach and his street rat gang was being held. The man stopped outside the door and looked at a list in his hand. "Weevil. Viper. Alleycat. Dancer. Slug."

Roach growled under his breath softly. Slug was the one who had gotten them all caught in the first place in a jewelry shop. The man had caught the whole gang that day and now he was here in this cell, never to see it again.

"... Turtle. Cheater. Roach," the guard's voice called out. As each name was called that boy looked up. "On your feet now, let's move it," the man said. All the boys rose to their feet and headed out the cell door. Roach was determining if her should make the guard come and get him, but decided otherwise when the guard cracked the whip he was holding.

Roach followed the rest of his pack up the stone steps into the bright sunlight. By the time he reached the top he was sweating slightly. The guards, a second had joined the first, had made them jog up the steps with the whips being a painful reminder to one who stopped.

At the top of the stairs the whole gang was lined up to see a woman in the gray robes of a magistrate seated behind a long table. Civilians in normal street clothes testified against the accused while clerks took down notes of what they said. Roach paid no heed to it, instead thinking of what fate awaited him. He gently tried to rub the two black "X" tattoos that were on the web of skin between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. The first time you were caught you received an "X" and then were sent on your way. The second time followed suit. As for the third, it was then you were sentenced to work.

A pair of strong hands picked up Roach and dropped him in front of the magistrate's table. Roach bit and clawed as best he could with his hands bound in front of him. "Hands," ordered the magistrate. The guard slammed Roach's hands down on the table revealing the two "X" tattoos that marred the boy's skin. Without even looking at the face of the boy she was sending to his doom, instead only looking at his hands, the woman said simply, "mines." Roach was shoved into a holding pen, and kept there waiting to go the dangerous mines.

Roach had a nagging thought in the back of his mind, something was telling him that going to the mines was not where he wanted to go. But, since he was only the criminal, he couldn't quite argue. So, to do what he could, Roach sent a death glare at the magistrate from his gray-green eyes, loathing for where he was to go.

* * *

**At Winding Circle Temple, in Emelan:**

"You did WHAT!" yelled a dark brown eyed woman in a green habit. "You didn't get him?"

"Rosethorn, listen to me," the man with the graying hair said, "I tried to get there. But I got held up Summersea for a few extra hours. By the time I got there the trial was already over."

"Didn't you even think to ask where they sent him Niko? They must have some idea of where he is."

"I did ask Rosethorn. But no one can just sense a Plant Mage from a gang of street rats. And we don't even know his name, if the boy even has one. How do you expect me to find him? Go around to every dock, mine, and galley in the blasted country? We'll never find him. For all we know he could already be dead!"

"That is still no excuse Goldeye! If he is alive, those power need tamed before he accidentally kills some innocent person!"

"Please, both of you stop yelling," interrupted a calmer voice, "it is late at night, everyone is tired and needs rest, and we do not need to wake the -Girls!" Three heads were peeping around the doorframe all intently listening in on the conversation of their elders. At the sound of the voice that told that she knew of their presences all three girls stepped into the room clad in their nightgowns.

"We are sorry Lark," all three girls said in unison while looking at their feet.

The blonde haired one looked up and said looking down at the three adults over her small nose, "We couldn't sleep, not with Niko and Rosethorn yelling. We just wanted to know what was going on."

"Oh Sandry," sighed Lark, "we are sorry for waking you. I apologize to you two as well, Tris and Daja. We should have kept our voices down," she finished throwing a slight glance at the two feuders.

The tall dark skinned girl, named Daja spoke up. "If you wouldn't mind, what were you talking about?"

The slightly plump redhead piped up, "you make it sound like you lost a plant. But in a human form."

"That is somewhat correct Tris," replied Niko, "as all of you know, I found the three of you and brought you all to Winding Circle. I was supposed to locate a plant mage in Hajra, but got held back in Summersea. The boy has disappeared, and seeing as he was a street thief to begin with, we have no records of his name, or any relatives."

"So what your saying," continued Sandry, "that we won't be able to locate him at all?" "But what about the X's?" questioned Daja. "Shouldn't he have been let go back into the city? Unless..."

The only male in the room sighed. "That's the problem Daja. He had already been caught twice. So he is not in the city anymore, in fact we have no idea where he could be. As I said before, he could already be dead. No one survives long after they get put to work, no one."

* * *

**A mine center in Sotat:**

Roach had been shoved into a waiting wagon with a few other boys three hours back. Thus they had begun the dusty journey to their new "home." When the six boys exited the wagon at the driver's request, all that could be seen was dusty barren earth as far as the eye could see. Along with that was a gaping hole which led to the mines as well as a few ramshackle buildings for the miners to sleep in.

Roach's normally bronze colored skin and raven black hair had a ghostly appearance to them from the dust the wagon had kicked up along the trail. From the looks of it, everyone looked something like a phantom. A large man came over to where the boys were waiting being covered in a new layer of dust as the wagon turned around and headed back towards Hajra.

"So these are my new recruits," the man said making his way over to them. "My name is Mister Sir. And if you do not address me as Mister Sir, you shall be punished. Understand?"

"Yes Mister Sir," chorused all the boys excluding Roach.

"And what about you Boy?" said Mister Sir bending down to look into Roach's gray-green eyes that were currently more of a stormy gray. "Why do you not answer?"

"Why should I answer?" answered the boy with his own question. His response was met with a backhand to the face. Roach looked up from where he was on the ground and with a nonchalant smile continued speaking by saying, "that's the best you can do?"

A muscle at the man's temple bulged, he was clearly irritated. He reached over to where Roach was sitting on the ground and picked him up by the rope that bound his hands together. Breathing hard the man spat out, "If you do that again, you will regret being born boy." He then threw Roach to the ground and stomped off.

The boys all followed, no one bending down to help Roach up. '_Of course_,' he thought, '_out here it is you against everyone else._' Roach struggled to pick himself up and follow his new roommates into a building that was marked in peeling letters as Cabin Five.

The room held six cots lined up against the wall and nothing else. There really wasn't a use for anything else, for once you got caught the third time, you weren't allowed back to wherever your headquarters were to retrieve any personal items. Not that Roach had had any. His daggers had been taken back in Hajra so he had nothing except the clothes on his back.

'_Except_,' he remembered as he reached into his pocket, '_these._' These were a small handful of dead flowers that Roach had stolen from gardens and other floral areas. They had been alive when he had plucked them, but staying in his pocket had made them wilt. Although, there was still a bit of life in them, but it was slowly starting to fade.

The boy looked at them all fondly, especially the wilted red rose. He had had to climb over a fence into a Bag's garden to get that one, and from the top of the fence had gotten cut on some spiky plant growing on it. He really didn't know why he was so attracted to flowers, that kind of thing was for girls. But yet, he had still been drawn to the green growing stuff since a young age and nothing was going to change that.

"Look at that guys," shouted a boy who looked about Roach's age and Roach had figure out that his name was Snake, "Look! The kid is carrying around flowers!" He was pointing at Roach who was sitting at the end of his cot flowers in hand.

Whispers started around the room. "What does a kid need with flowers?"

"What are you planning on doing, eating 'em?" The jeers went around the room all aimed at Roach.

"No," said another, "he wants to be a girl? Is that it?"

That did it for Roach. No one called him a girl and got away unscathed. With a growl, he leaped at that particular boy and tackled him to the ground. From there, Roach did all he could to beat the boy up while still wearing bonds on his wrists. This included punching, kicking, biting, clawing, and scratching anything that was bare skin. In the melee the flowers had gotten flung across the room.

One of the boys ran out of the cabin looking for an adult to stop this, two launched themselves on Roach, and the last one in the room, Snake, picked up the pitiful pile of flowers off the ground. Just to see what the owner would do, he broke the rose in half. The reaction he got was not what he had expected.

Roach let out a loud yell and tears sprung to his eyes. One even started to trickle down his face as Snake broke up each flower individually. At that same moment, Mister Sir came running in with the boy who had left right on his heels. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?," he bellowed.

The chaos that was in the room came to an abrupt halt. All eyes turned to the man that was standing in the doorway. The boy's got off of Roach leaving him sitting on top of the boy he had pummeled. Mister Sir strode over to where Roach was sitting on top of his captive.

"What is going on here?," he asked in a steely voice, "who started it?" All eyes turned to look at Roach. "So it was you again, was it? Your kind never learn boy." With that he scooped Roach off the other's boy's chest. "You all right there Kid?" he asked the victim of Roach's anger.

"I'm all right Mister Sir," the boy replied through a bloody lip. His left eye was also starting to close up due to swelling from a well placed punch from Roach. "He just jumped on me Mister Sir, I didn't do anything! I swear!"

"What's your name Kid?"

"Weasel, Mister Sir. Is he gonna get punished?" he continued nodding at Roach who was still being held up in the air by Mister Sir.

"You bet he is," replied Mister Sir shaking Roach in the air. Outside the cabin thunder boomed and a streak of lightning brightened up the cabin. "Well would you look at that, it seems that we are in for a nasty storm tonight. Such fun," the man said with a gleeful smile. "If you want to see this boy get punished," he said shaking Roach again, "follow me out." He then left the cabin with Roach still in his grasp and five boys following him.

Other miner kids looked out of their cabins and followed the procession that was gathering behind the boss of the camp. Mister Sir led them all to a lone pole with a hook on it that was standing in a patch of bare earth. He hooked Roach's hands over the hook and stepped back. Roach's feet were just brushing the ground.

"Boy, you've caused too much trouble already, and I don't like boys who cause trouble." His eyes got a malicious gleam in them as he unstrapped his belt from around his waist. "Now for those of you who just got here, this is how we dish out punishments. I think 20 lashes will be enough for starters. Now please all of you stand back."

With that, all the boys stepped a good three feet away from Mister Sir as he raised the belt and bringing it high in an arc lashed it down on Roach's back. Roach let out a loud yell as the metal clasp bit through his skin bringing back part of his shirt with it. He lost count after 8, the pain was so bad, but he was still awake at what he guessed was 20 because the belt had stopped hitting him.

"I do hope you learned your lesson Boy," said Mister Sir harshly, "but it seems that you will be working here with no shirt. What a pity." At the end of that statement a raindrop hit Roach on his nose and in seconds the sky opened up and rain flooded down. "You can stay out here tonight!" yelled Mister Sir above the wind in order to be heard.

With that being said, all the bystanders raced for cover and shelter in their cabins to avoid the rain. Roach leaned his head against the pole and let the tears come knowing that no one would be able to distinguish the tears from the rain. But even with the rain pounding all around him, Roach lost consciousness as he slipped into a black oblivion.

Author's Notes:

As most of you can probably tell by now, Briar/Roach is my favorite character. So naturally I like to torture him! I am a bit weird in that sense, but... hehe.

As you can also see, the spacing is all over on the left margin. Since added more file formats all of mine are acting up! Not to worry at least it looks even!

I would really appreciate it if you could push that little purple button down at the bottom of the page so that I could get some feedback on this story. Like it? Hate it? Tell me everything in a review! Constructive criticism is allowed, but I do discourage flames.


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: **The word disclaimer should state it all

**Not Where I Belong**

**Chapter Two**

**From last time:**

With that being said, all the bystanders raced for cover and shelter in their cabins to avoid the rain. Roach leaned his head against the pole and let the tears come knowing that no one would be able to distinguish the tears from the rain. But even with the rain pounding all around him, Roach lost consciousness as he slipped into a black oblivion.

* * *

"Briar... Briar..." a voice echoed on the winds outside a lone camp where a pole stood in the center of the encampment with a boy no more than eleven years old was hanging from by his wrists. 

The boy attached to the pole raised his head very slightly and croaked out in a harsh whisper, "Briar?"

"Do not worry Briar, help will come for you," the wind sang in his ears. And then everything was still. Not even the dust stirred on the ground.

"Briar?" the boy rasped again, "I must be delirious. Now I'm hearing things. People are gonna think I'm crazy. 'Sides my name's Roach." A searing pain that ran up the course of the boy's back painfully reminded him of what had happened the night before. He had been whipped and then left out in the rain in the middle of a storm. And he was terribly cold although he would never say that.

A gruff voice from the other side of the camp brought him back to the present. "Go get the boy off the pole. Tell me if he's alive." Roach heard small pitter patting of footsteps run up to him.

"Kid, you alive?"

Briar/Roach let out a groan and then gave a wince when the kid below him yelled back loudly, "He's alive Mister Sir!" Then in a much quieter voice he continued, "now hold still I'll have you down in a jiffy." Roach's 'rescuer' was a bit taller than his own five feet and gently tugged Roach off the pole. Roach landed on the hard pack ground on his back.

Roach let out another groan of pain when he landed, his torn up skin was still very sensitive after his beating the night before. "My name's Ratter, what's yours Kid?"

Roach opened his mouth to say his name, but decided against it and instead said in a hoarse voice barely above a whisper, "Briar."

"Briar, huh? That's a weird name. Anyways, I better get you fixed up. You start work today, ya know." Ratter helped Briar stand up and walked him to a different cabin that had 'Office' stenciled at the tope. "Here's where the adults live. We'll just go in and get you some bandages and the like."

The two boys walked into the dimly lit building and Ratter snuck into a backroom. "We aren't supposed to be in here, but we don't need you dying now, do we?" In the room was a huge cabinet along with shelves on one whole side of the wall, that held absolutely nothing.

"What are the shelves for?" questioned Briar as Ratter opened the cabinet and started pulling out bandages and salve.

"I have no idea. Mister Sir wanted them built for who knows what. That was a year ago, or so I've been told. The kid I learned it from died last month."

"We're in Mister Sir's house?" squeaked Briar. "What if we get caught?" We'll both get in trouble."

"No one will get in trouble if you just stay quiet and let me fix you. The old geezer will never miss a few wraps. Unless he sees you wearing them that is."

"Then I guess you can't fix me up, he ruined my shirt last night. And I don't think he would take to good if I suddenly showed up wearing one."

"You got that right, just let me put these back. I can at least cut those ropes off you. You **are** gonna need your hands out here Briar." A bell rang in the distance. "Oh darn! Come on. Time for breakfast. And if we're late we don't get any even if it isn't at all good we still need to eat."

The two newfound friends raced to the mess hall and made it in just as the doors were about to be closed. Briar's back was killing him and he felt like he was going to collapse in the middle of the room. Thankfully, Ratter saw that and caught Briar around the middle as he started to pitch forward towards the ground.

Briar let out a small hiss of pain, but Ratter said quietly under his breath, "better a little more pain than to end up flat on your face here." He gave a knowing glance to Briar and helped him to a seat. I'll go get breakfast, you stay here and rest.

Ratter brought back two bowls of a very thin gruel that did not look at all appeasing to Briar. "They expect us to eat that?" he said with a look of disbelief around the room as everyone dug into the murky looking soup.

"That's it Briar. Either eat it or you ain't get nothing. If you want to starve, don't eat. Of course, we are all gonna die in the end anyway. But as for me, I want to live as long as possible. Maybe even get out of here someday."

Mister Sir stood up from his table and breakfast which looked much more appealing than everyone else's meager meal. "All right boys! Time to get to work! Out you go!" Boys climbed off the benches that they were sitting on and headed towards the door.

"What exactly do we do?" questioned Briar as himself and Ratter were pulled along with the crowd towards the mine entrance.

"Simple. Since you're still new, all you have to do for now is go around under there and get the full buckets of metals and then give them to whoever is at the lift. Then they bring them to the surface."

Boys were climbing into the mining shaft and were being lowered into the inky blackness below. "Ratter? Don't we get lights or something?"

"What? Scared of the dark Briar? Naw, there are a few lanterns down there. But still watch your step. It is dangerous. We don't want any cave-ins, if you know what I mean."

Briar nodded and then stepped onto the lift and was lowered down into the earth all the while feeling the same feeling he had felt back in Hajra when he was told he was going to the mines. Fear. The lift hit the ground with a clank as the gears started to rotate in the opposite direction to bring it back to the surface.

"Ratter!," barked a boy who was clearly in charge. "You are working in the new area we started yesterday. Grab a few kids and get moving." Ratter nodded and grabbed Briar by his arm and started dragging him through the twisting tunnels. Along the way, he tapped boys on the shoulder and gestured for them to come with him.

Briar was led to a small area that was filled with coal and soot from all of the walls. His lungs felt constricted like he could barely breathe. Briar, for the first few minutes just stood aside and let the more experienced kids get to work. After about five minutes a basket of something he couldn't quite see was shoved into his hands. He was instructed to bring that to the lift. The chunks would get sorted out in another area by experienced adults.

Briar did as he was told, and the work carried on for another grueling 6 hours. Then there was a small break for water and some more of the gruel and then back to work again. Sometime in the later afternoon, but it could be evening, no light was visible save for the few lanterns that lined the walls, a loud rumbling was heard.

Work immediately stopped as everyone looked for the source of the noise. It was coming from the area where Briar and his crew were working. "Cave-in!" someone screamed, "Get out!" Pandemonium quickly ensued as boys raced for the exit. Briar at the moment was currently in the middle of a coughing fit that had been happening all day.

The rumble grew louder and chunks of the ceiling started to fall in. Everyone was above ground, save for one who was still making his way to the exit. And then with a shuddering creak and groan, the support beams gave out tumbling the mine in on itself. The last thing Briar remembered was getting hit on the head with a large rock from the ceiling and then blackness.

* * *

Rosethorn was out and about in her little wagon from the temple, for she was distributing wares around the city of Emelan and Sotat. She was going down a little dirt road that was quite hard to travel on due to the ruts in the road made from countless caravans traveling over the same area. 

She was heading back to Winding Circle so that she could go start weeding in her garden and just relax in the earth and soil when she felt a lone tree branch extend its leaves and wrap them around her arm in a very tight grip.

_"Can I help you?" _she asked wondering what would cause a tree to just grab her.

"_Briar needs you, Rosethorn. Go to the mining camp 10 miles west of here. Take this road and turn left at the fork. Hurry. He does not have much time_."

"_Briar? Who is Briar? I have never heard of him."_

"_You know of him Dedicate Rosethorn. You secretly worry about him when you think others are not watching. You are his only hope. Please, for his sake and others, save him_." The tree then let go and went back to its normal position as though no conversation had just happened.

Rosethorn thought for a minute. She was starting to appreciate the three girls that stayed at Discipline, Sandry, Tris, and Daja. And of course she cared about her best friend Lark. And Niko too even though he had been stupid to miss the trial... The trial. The boy the tree was talking about must be the plant mage that Niko had been told to get. The boy, Briar as the tree had called him, was in the mines? That was no place for a plant mage. No live greenery meant wilting, and wilting meant dying...

She spurred the horse and wagon down the road all in quick attempts to reach her apprentice before the worst kind of fate happened to him, death.

* * *

Briar awoke gasping for air along with a gigantic migraine. There were also no lights seeing as they had all gone out in the collapse in the mine. '_My first day working and I'm gonna die, typical_,' the boy thought to himself. He could barely breathe the air was being compressed in his lungs. He was going to die. If it wasn't of suffocation it would be from lack of food and water eventually. But the more he thought about it, the more he knew that it was going to be of suffocation. He couldn't get any air into his lungs and felt much like a fish out of water. 

He didn't know what was wrong with him. Surely, a normal person would at least be able to breathe right? Another coughing fit wracked his thin frame, stirring the dust around him. He would die at the age of eleven years in a mining cave-in.

* * *

Rosethorn and wagon arrived at the camp in a flurry of dust to discover people running around, many covered in soot from head to toe. She knew without even really knowing, that a cave-in had just happened and her student was trapped beneath it all. 

She literally jumped off her seat and ran to the only adult that looked to be in the premises. "Excuse me," she said loudly, "did everyone get out?"

The man turned sharply to stare at the small stocky woman in a green habit who was shouting at him. "From what I have heard all of them got out safely. Or at-" he was cut off as a soot covered youth ran up to them.

He spoke directly to Rosethorn knowing that Mister Sir wouldn't care if one kid, especially the one who annoyed him, was dead. "Briar is still down there Miss! You have to help him!"

The woman stared at the coal covered boy as if dumbstruck. The tree had been telling the truth. There was a Briar and he desperately needed her help. "Briar?" she said uncertainly, "are you sure?"

"Positive Dedicate. I can't find him anywhere and he was in the middle of one of his famous coughing fits when it started. I thought he was ahead of me, honest."

The dedicate paled considerably and then said to her informer, "take me to where he is. I am not about to lose him again when I am this close."

Ratter gave her a puzzled look and then started running to where the mine tunnel had been not even an hour ago. Mister Sir watched them go and then quickly followed. He personally hoped that the boy was already dead.

Ratter stopped at the mine and then walked over to where he thought was close to where he had been working. "About here Miss," he said, "this is where we were working earlier."

Rosethorn quickly reached into her habit and pulled out a few packets that contained seeds of flowers that would bloom anywhere if she helped to feed it energy. She opened the packets and scattered the seeds on top of the dull brown ground. And then she sent her power into them. The seeds immediately began to sprout and grow long stalks and set down roots.

"Go," she told her creations, "find him. Make sure he is alive."

Briar felt suddenly cooler and more refreshed than he had been since he had left Hajra. '_Maybe I'm dying and everything is just going to the way I like it._' But when something twined around his arm, he knew he wasn't dreaming.

A root had wrapped itself around his arm and was asking if he was okay. "I'll be fine as long as you stay," Briar replied before going into another coughing fit. The root sent a tremor to it's other parts and in turn they sent a message up to Rosethorn.

"He lives," the plants cried, "but he is fading, unless we hurry we shall lose him."

Rosethorn turned to all the boys who were watching her. "Bring shovels. He is alive, we have to get him out of here. In her mind she talked through the plants to get to the boy. "_Do not worry Briar, I'm going to get you out_."

Briar sat up with a start. "_Who are you_?" he questioned, "_and how are we talking_?"

"_My name is Dedicate Rosethorn. We are talking through the plants. How are you doing?_"

"_Want the honest truth? Not good at all. I'm having trouble breathing." _Briar answered and then broke into another coughing fit that carried through the roots.

"_Just hang on Briar. We're going to get you out of there, just hang on. Stay with me._" Boys arrived with shovels and started to carefully dig around the plants. Shovel full after shovel full of dirt was tossed away growing into a huge pile.

All of a sudden, Rosethorn felt the mental link between herself and Briar shut down. That meant that he had fallen unconscious. But she had the feeling it was more than that. And when the plants started to weep to her she knew. He had stopped breathing. Which meant they were losing him. Briar was going to die.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Is that a cliffy or not? You tell me!

Thank you for reviewing! I shall respond to all of you in just a moment! Tell your friends about this story, and if you like Rurouni Kenshin be sure to check out my other story! If you could all press that little purple button that says Submit Review, I would be really happy!

I forgot to mention in the last chapter, so I will mention it now. IcyPanther gave me the idea of sending Briar to the mines. Thankies Icy!

Well, that's about it! So just stick around comments and I hope to see you all next chapter!

* * *

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**Icypanther: **I think it is off to a good start as well! Sorry about that! You have been given credit above! Rosethorn is in the process, we just have to hope Briar doesn't die first.

**Landlord's Black-eyed Dau: **Thankies very much! That is one of the nicest compliments I have ever received! Good luck with your own story! Hope everyone likes it! Hope to see you next chapter!

**PsychoLioness13:** Glad you like the idea! Yes, there is much more to come, even though I seem to be moving a bit faster than what I had planned. I really hope to see you next chapter!!

**Emma Lee: **Sorry you are confused, but very glad that you like it! Here is your next new chapter!!

**Drama Queens rule**: Thankies very much! I love your story! Please update it soon!!


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: **I wish I did own CoM, but I don't. Tamora Pierce has all rights.

**Not Where I Belong**

**Chapter Three**

**From last time:**

"_Want the honest truth? Not good at all. I'm having trouble breathing." _Briar answered and then broke into another coughing fit that carried through the roots.

"_Just hang on Briar. We're going to get you out of there, just hang on. Stay with me._" Boys arrived with shovels and started to carefully dig around the plants. Shovel full after shovel full of dirt was tossed away growing into a huge pile.

All of a sudden, Rosethorn felt the mental link between herself and Briar shut down. That meant that he had fallen unconscious. But she had the feeling it was more than that. And when the plants started to weep to her she knew. He had stopped breathing. Which meant they were losing him. Briar was going to die.

Mister Sir was getting quite annoyed with the Earth Dedicate that had just taken charge of the small handful of boys who were digging to save the, as he had termed him, the brat. The mine a mile East from here was in need of getting worked and instead of being there, the boys were digging in the dirt for a kid that was going to die anyway.

He was striding forward to tell Rosethorn that kids died here all the time, one more was not going to make a difference. Besides, he was the boss around here, no one told him what to do, not even someone who was a mage.

As Mister Sir was about to tap her on the shoulder, Rosethorn went rim rod straight and turned even paler than she had been previous. She strode over to where the boys were digging and grabbing her own shovel, began to dig furiously as if there was no tomorrow.

The boys actually stopped for a few seconds to watch the mage get completely dirty, obviously they didn't know that Rosethorn spent her time at Discipline in her garden, until Rosethorn said to them, "He stopped breathing. We have to get him out of there before he dies."

Mister Sir went over to Rosethorn and interrupted her digging process. "Listen Lady, I don't have time for you to use the boys here for your own job, they have work to do in the East mine. Kids die all the time here. One more street rat won't make a difference."

Rosethorn glared at him. "Do you have any idea who that boy is? He is a plant mage for crying out loud! My student is not going to die down there when I am this close to finding him," she snapped and then went back to digging. She stopped however when there was a cry from one of the younger thieves as he collapsed on the ground. Rosethorn dropped her shovel and quickly hurried towards the fallen boy.

She turned him over so that he was lying on his back and checked for a pulse. There was none. The boy was dead. But how was that possible? Malnutrition? Possible but not likely. The children were fed. Overexertion? Also possible, but shoveling wasn't that hard. She needed to find out. Turning to the boys who had now stopped working at the collapse of a fellow mate she said calmly, "who was he and where was he working?"

Ratter spoke up in an uneasy voice. "His name is Sneak. He was working with my group down in the newer cavern that was opened. Is he really dead?"

Rosethorn looked grim. "Yes, he is dead. How long has that area been open for work? Who else was there?"

Another boy answered this time. "Ratter was there, Sneak, some others who left and are currently in East mine, and Briar.

"Briar?" Rosethorn said barely above a whisper and if possible turning even whiter than she already was. "Briar was in there?"

A boy of about thirteen came running towards the huddled group looking very scared. "Mister Sir, Mister Sir!," h yelled, "Phantom, Devil, Twister, and Snoop are dead! They just fell down in the tunnel! And they ain't breathing! Dead!"

Rosethorn took a deep breath and closed her eyes. And then she said to the plants, "_What is going on down there? Whatever happens, stay near Briar to supply him with oxygen. And try to get him to breathe. Please."_

_"Do not worry Rosethorn, we are working on him right now. But there is something amiss." _One of the plants that was closest to the collapsed mine wilted and died. _"There is poison here Rosethorn, but we will not let him die. We shall sacrifice ourselves before he is killed." _

The brown haired dedicate suddenly felt a jolt. Somehow, she didn't know how, the plants had put life back into Briar. Looking at the Ratter, she saw that he had paled considerably and seemed to have trouble standing up, using his shovel as a support.

"There was poison in that section of the mine. Were those four boys the ones who were with you?"

Ratter gave a weak nod. "Dedicate, I don't feel to good. Just tell..." Ratter paused and took a deep breath of air, "just tell Briar that he was a good mate." And with that said, Ratter pitched forward on the ground never to rise again. Briar's first and only friend at the mining camp was dead. Rosethorn went over to the fallen Ratter and closed his no more seeing eyes before turning back to the group that was now in shock.

"I am very sorry for your losses today and I wish that this had never happened, but what's done is done, we can not change the past nor the present. Fate is not in our hands. It is in the God's." Here, everyone made the God's symbol on their chests and then looked back to Rosethorn.

Rosethorn turned to Mister Sir. "You do know," she said icily, "that these deaths could have been prevented if you had just put a candle down the tunnel before you sent any of these boys down there. Now six of them are dead and a seventh will be joining them if we do not get him out quickly."

The boy who had spoken up earlier now spoke up again, "Just to let you know Miss, Briar does have a better chance from poison effects. You see, he wasn't down in the mines the whole time cuz he is new here. So he just had to run the full baskets of materials to the lift so that they can be sorted elsewhere."

"Thank you for telling me. That is some of the best news I have heard all day. But we still have to get him out of there. The poison is leaking throughout the tunnel now, and my plants and myself can't do everything. So please, help me to get him out."

"Sure thing Miss Rosethorn. We ain't got nothing better to do. Those ol' mines can wait." Ayes were heard throughout the remaining boys as they set back to work. Mister Sir was fuming.

"Boys!" he barked, "you have work to do in those mines! Get over there NOW!"

Murmurs were heard around the group and then a boy whispered something in Rosethorn's ear, she nodded and then faced Mister Sir. "The boys have agreed to help me get him out as a tribute to Ratter. Ratter and Briar were friends and we are going to get Briar out so that he can here the message that Ratter left for him. If you do not agree just go sit in your cabin. We do not need your help. Back to work boys!" Mister Sir stormed off in the direction of his cabin.

The kids still digging needed no second urging. Briar was in trouble and they were going to save him no matter what. As they continued to dig, the plants that Rosethorn had grown were continually wilting and dying. The poison was sucking their lives away.

Eventually, a hole was dug that finally broke through the hard ground to the mine below. "Stand back everyone," commanded Rosethorn, "I am going to go down there and get him. I don't want any of you inhaling these fumes and dying on me. As for myself, I should be fine. I have enough magic in me to ward off the fumes."

A rope was tied around Rosethorn's middle and then the boys held onto it tightly as they gently lowered Rosethorn into the now deadly mine. Once her feet hit the bottom, Rosethorn realized how stupid she had been to forget to bring a light with her. It was pitch black and she couldn't even see her hand in front of her face.

Relying on the plants to guide her was her only option. Reaching with her power to the greenery she had created Rosethorn said, "_Lead me to Briar._" The plants understood her need and roots came off the walls to wrap themselves around her arms as they carefully guided her forwards along the dark passage.

When Rosethorn's foot hit something solid that was not a wall, she knew she had found what she was looking for. "Briar," she breathed softly as she gently leaned over and touched the boy on his arm. He was freezing. She quickly felt for a pulse, and true to their words, the plants had kept him alive. He might be hanging on by a thread, but he was alive.

Rosethorn gently picked the boy up and as she did so, her hand brushed over his bare back letting her feel the soon to be scars from his whipping the night before. Briar didn't even make a sound although if there had been light, she would have seen him wince in pain, but as there was none, she didn't see a thing.

The woman picked her way back along the passage until she saw the light that poured through the hole in the ceiling. Standing directly beneath the hole, she gave the rope two hard tugs and she felt herself being lifted up and out of the opening in the ground.

She finally had the time to look at her student. He was covered in soot, wearing no shirt, lacerations covered his back, and he was skinnier than her bean plants in the garden. But what was worse than that was that he was barely breathing enough to stay alive. Placing her hand on his forehead that was the only warm part of him for he was burning up with fever, she directed her energy into the deathly still boy lying in her arms hoping to boost his life energy.

When that seemed to not be helping as much as she had been hoping, she turned to the boys who were gathered around her and said, "I need to take him to Winding Circle before he dies. As for all of you, thank you very much for helping me. But first, I need to get some bandages for Briar. Does anyone know where they are?"

"Yeah," responded the kids, "they are in Mister Sir's room! We'll show ya." The boys ran in the direction of Mister Sir's cabin and went into his room with Rosethorn following closely behind with Briar. One of the older children opened the cabinet and all stared in surprise. There was nothing in it.

"Well they used to be kept here... I wonder where all the stuff went to."

"Maybe the ol' man hid it all. We weren't supposed to get anything without permission from Mister Sir. Speaking of which, where'd the old geezer run off to?"

There was an audible sound of someone knocking against a wall as if they had tripped. Everyone looked around themselves, but no one in their little group was standing near a wall. So who or what had made that strange noise?

Rosethorn with Briar walked over to the wall where the shelves were located. She pressed her ear to the wall and listened intently. Looking over her shoulder at the boys who were looking at her she asked," What is behind this wall? It is hollow."

The group of boys looked at each other. "It's hollow?" voiced out a boy, "how can you tell?" All the kids looked at each other all wearing puzzled expressions on their faces as they looked at Rosethorn for an answer.

Rosethorn rapped on the wood. "You can tell by the sound. I have the feeling that your Mister Sir is hiding back their with the supplies I need to treat Briar. Now how does this thing open?" she mused to herself.

Handing Briar to one of the older boy with a warning of "Be gentle." she began to press on the shelves in different patterns and just pushing them in any random order she could think of. "This is hopeless," she said aloud as she leaned back on the shelf that was the third one from the ground. A grating sound filled the air and the wall folded in on itself to reveal a little room with Mister Sir sitting in the middle of it surrounded by the medical equipment that the newly found plant mage needed.

Rosethorn stomped over to where the pot-bellied man sat and picked him up by his shirt collar, or tried to pick him up. Rosethorn was only five foot five and much lighter than the heavier man. "And what," she spat at his face, "are you doing back here with all the healing supplies?"

The larger man was starting to sweat a little bit, being yelled at by Rosethorn was something that no one fancied even if you had known her for years. When her temper was such a short fuse anything was possible to happen.

Mister Sir looked up at Rosethorn and said, "I am here to get away from all this ruckus that you are making about a single street urchin. Besides the boys all know that they are not allowed into my room to get anything unless they ask me and I get it for them. Sneaking bandages is not acceptable. And if you are a mage aren't you supposed to have a kit with you at all times?"

It was Rosethorn's turn to look a bit embarrassed. "I did have my mage kit with me. But when I was in town today selling the temple's wares, I had to use most of it on a group of civilians who were in a carriage accident. I never had time to replenish my stores because as I was headed back to Winding Circle I was called here."

Mister Sir sneered. "So you expect me to just give you my bandages and supplies? What kind of person do you take me for?"

Rosethorn responded, her temper having being flared at the man's resistance to give her what she needed. Her rein on her anger snapped as she yelled at him, "Its not like you would even use them for yourself seeing as you do no work around here and I highly doubt that you give them to the boys unless they are one of your favorites. Briar is dying and he needs medical attention right now before I bring him back to Emelan."

The brown eyed mage dropped Mister Sir back into his chair and went around the room picking though the supplies to see what she could use. After selecting a few items she walked back over to where Briar was carefully being held and instructed the boy to lay him gently on the floor.

Once that was done, Rosethorn bent down and sat back on her heels surveying the coal covered boy in front of her. She gently rolled him on his side and took a cloth that she wet in a basin of water and then started to wash of his back. When she finished she was met with a horrible sight. Briar's back was covered in long red welts clearly made by a belt or a whip. And from what she could tell, they had not been treated when he had gotten them or quickly afterwards, so she knew that they were going to leave some awful scars.

She carefully rubbed some ointment over the lacerations in hops of making the lash marks smaller when they scarred. Then she brought him back so that she could see hi front. She gently washed off his face and then realized that that was the best that she could do for him here. Mister Sir's medicines had not included anything to counteract poisons and she would have to wait to get back before she could treat that or his fever.

The only woman in the room then picked up her small charge and looked back at Mister Sir and the boys who were standing near the entrance to the secret room. "I want that mine covered up and closed down; no one is to go in there ever again. I shall also be alerting the city that you are not giving the boys here proper medical treatment when they need it."

With that said, Rosethorn turned on her heel and marched back her wagon. She carefully arranged some blankets in the back of the wagon right behind where she perched on the driver's seat and then cocooned Briar in. He would not be jostled on the ride back. What still scared Rosethorn though, was that his breathing had not gotten any better, if anything worse, it was now coming in irregular gasps that did not seem to be sucking in enough air.

Rosethorn climbed into her seat, gave a short wave to the boys now staring after her, and then set the horse in a fast gallop headed for Winding Circle. This fast pace was dangerous, she knew, for both the horse, the wagon, herself, but most importantly Briar. But she knew that if she dawdled and didn't get him to a healer soon Briar was going to die before even learning of his powers and what good in the world he was going to do with them in the future.

About an hour later, the horse raced through the gates at Winding Circle Temple, people dodging and running out of the way of what looked like the runaway carriage. Everyone who saw the driver was also a mite confused. They knew that Rosethorn would never race through and risk injuring someone. But before anyone could call out to her, the dedicate and the wagon were already out of hearing range headed straight for Discipline cottage.

Sandry had been sitting on the doorstep to Discipline working on a drop spindle trying to get a ball of thread made from it. At the sound of the racing carriage, one she had not been expecting, she looked up to see Rosethorn jerk the horse to a stop outside the gate to their humble little home. "Welcome back Rosethorn, was business good?," she called out pleasantly.

The older woman didn't even seem to hear her. Instead she reached into the back behind her seat, picked something up and ran at the front door, something Sandry had never seen her do. And when Rosethorn opened her mouth and screamed at the top of her lungs in a hysterical voice, "LAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRKKKK!" the noble knew something was definitely wrong.

Rosethorn's cry not only brought the other Earth Dedicate to the door, but also Daja and Tris. "Rosethorn, what's wrong?" questioned the dark-skinned woman to her best friend as Rosethorn reached the doorway.

"I found him Lark! The boy! But he needs a healer!" Rosethorn's voice was cracking with strain and tiredness and it was only then that all the other residents of Discipline noticed that what Rosethorn was holding in arms was a boy. A very dirty boy, but definitely a human being. And he didn't look so well.

"Is that-?" started Tris before she was cut off by Rosethorn again.

"Daja, go get a healer A good one mind you. Tris, go find Niko. Sandry, go get cold water. Lark, come with me."

Tris and Daja both ran off in opposite directions, Sandry went to get the water, and Lark and Rosethorn went into the only unoccupied bedroom which was on the ground floor across from Sandry's room. Rosethorn carefully laid him on the bed and felt his forehead again. The fever had peaked again bringing his body temperature to a dangerously high level.

Sandry was the first to come back carrying a very large bowl of water and that had some ice cubes floating in it along with a few towels. Tris was the second one to show up, panting with exhaustion of having to track down her teacher, but bringing Niko back with her. The women shooed the girls out of the room and told them that when the healer arrived to send him/her in but to keep Daja with them, none of the girls were allowed in the room currently.

Minutes later, Daja came bursting through the front a lady healer following very closely behind. Sandry directed the healer to the room and then told Daja that they were not allowed in for the time being.

Daja, meanwhile was drinking a large glass of water having run to the Water Temple and back to get a healer. "The only reason they came so quickly," she gasped out taking in large gulps of air, "was because Rosethorn almost caused a couple accidents tearing through the center of the Circle. They were sort of worried about her so when I asked for a healer immediately they didn't question."

Dedicate Lily of the Water temple strode into the room that the young noble girl had directed her to and closed the door behind her. Her purposeful steps led her to the bed where the two dedicates and the master were gathered around the bed in the center of the room. Dedicate Lily carried a very large mage kit that she set down next to the bed.

Looking at the adults she could see that Rosethorn looked the most panicked of the three and that genuinely surprised her. Rosethorn was always so cool, calm and collected. Steadying her gaze she said in a calm manner, "What happened?"

Rosethorn was the one to speak seeing as she was the only one who knew the whole story, the rest knew absolutely nothing of it. "Lily, this is the plant mage that Niko was supposed to get back in Hajra."

Lily, who knew that her friend had been upset when Niko hadn't gotten him, asked, "but how?"

"The trees told me where to find him. He was buried in a cave-in in a mining camp. But he was also whipped prior to, inhaled poison from the mine, and has a high fever. To top that all of that, plant mages do not belong underground! He is having a hard time breathing and some of the boys told me earlier he had been coughing all day."

Here the other three adults all gave a gasp. Lily elbowed her way into the group so that she was standing directly next to the boy. "Pass me my kit. We need to get to work."

Two hours later they were done. A large kettle, extremely large kettle, had been brought in and they had given Briar a bath. Then Lily had used some of her herbs to make a type of tea that would help to clear out the poison from his body. They had reapplied ointments to his back and then wrapped them with bandages. Lark had dug out some loose fitting shirts and breeches that they had dressed him in. Now he was to rest with a cold cloth on his head and when he woke up they were supposed to feed Briar some willowbark tea and something thin like soup from Dedicate Gorse. At the end of her statement, Dedicate Lily got up and left Discipline with instructions to get her if Briar got any worse.

Meanwhile the three girls had been waiting impatiently for someone to tell them what was going on. All of them had been very curious when Niko had carried in a kettle filled with water and then when Lark had left and had come back with clothes. But both times when the girls had opened their mouths to ask a question they had been shushed as the elder went back into the room with the mysterious boy.

When Dedicate Lily left through the door bidding the three of them a good day, they all jumped up and ran to the door. Sandry knocked cautiously. "May we come in?" she asked quietly.

The quiet voice of Lark responded softly, "Come on in girls." The noble, the Trader, and the merchant entered silently, all tip-toeing as to not make any noise. The girls clustered around the bed looking at the pale looking boy who was in a fitful sleep.

"What happened to him," whispered Sandry, not daring to speak any louder so that she would not wake the sleeping boy, "and why is he so skinny?"

"You girls don't need to know what happened, but malnutrition is one of the bad factors that children get from growing up on the streets."

"That's horrible," murmured Sandry, "I'll talk to Uncle about it. I'm sure he can do something for all the poor children on the streets."

"I don't think he could do much Sandry," replied Niko from his seat on a wooden chair in the corner of the room. "Duke Vedris can not do everything to save every child that is put on the streets. Those children have to learn how to fend for themselves."

"Girls lets go get you something to eat, it is suppertime. And then off to bed with you. Rosethorn you need more rest than any of us," she continued as Rosethorn continued to sit in her chair next to the bed. "He'll be all right for a little bit. Niko or I will be watching him all night."

"Lark could I stay up with him too? Please? I'll take third watch or something. Please? And I'll wake you up if anything happens. And don't worry I won't fall asleep or anything!" Sandry pleaded as they all sat down and ate dinner that Dedicate Gorse had brought over.

Niko and Lark looked at each other from across the table. Lark answered. "All right Sandry. We'll wake you up when it is your turn, but if you are still tired one of us will do it for you."

Sandry smiled happily into her soup. After the dishes had been cleared Tris, Daja, Niko, Sandry, and a reluctant Rosethorn went to bed. The time was eight o'clock. Lark settled herself in a chair next to Briar with a book and read quietly for the next three hours, every half hour re-wetting the cloth on the golden-brown boy's forehead.

At 11 o'clock she woke Niko who watched him until two in the morning. Then he went to wake Sandry. At first the girl was a bit disoriented to why she was being woken up in the middle of the night or early morning, whatever you call it. But when she remembered that she was going to be watching Briar she was wide awake in minutes sitting in a chair next to his bed.

To keep herself occupied so that she would not fall asleep while on 'guard duty' the light brown haired girl worked on her drop spindle since she had gotten no work done earlier due to the fact that she was so worried about the boy Rosethorn had come running into the house with.

Sandry had a couple yards of thread made when at a quarter past three the boy in the bed began to stir and then wracking coughs shook his body. And then after the coughs had subsided he started to have what Sandry would call a fit. Briar began to thrash around on the bed. Sandry grabbed his shoulders and pressed them firmly to the bed to hold him still. She wasn't quite strong enough.

"Tris! Daja! Niko! Lark!," she yelled loudly. Unfortunately the adults were worn out from their busy day. Tris and Daja did come downstairs both rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. "Help me!," wailed Sandry, "he won't stay still!"

Daja took control of the matter. "Tris you take his arms. Sandry, just talk to him, try to get him to wake up. I'll take his feet." The trio took their positions and held on for dear life. Even weak and still unconscious, Briar was a force to be reckoned with.

Briar, in his own fevered sleep, thought that some gang was trying to hold him down so they could kill him. So he fought like a wild animal trying to break free of his 'attackers' and in his mind, yelling for the Lightnings, his gang, to come help him. Well, someone but more of a something did come to his aid.

"What the-" said Tris looking at a vine that was wrapping itself around her leg. Daja and Sandry were also getting wrapped in vines that were growing tremendously in size. They were coming from Rosethorn's workroom.

The vines then started to side with Briar and started to strangle the three girls in hopes of getting them off their friend. Trisana did the one thing that she could think of at that moment as her air was getting cut off as well as her housemates. She started a strong wind that shook the cottage, blew windows and doors open, and woke the three adults.

Niko, Rosethorn, and Lark came running in to see what the commotion was about. As soon as she saw what was happening, Rosethorn ordered the plants to let go of the young mages. The vines, who knew that their mistress was Rosethorn had to let go, especially when Rosethorn applied some of her power. The vines unwrapped themselves from the girls' necks and went back to Rosethorn's work area.

Briar had stopped twitching and Sandry was leaning over him staring concerning with her cornflower blue eyes when his eyes shot open to reveal a startling gray-green coloring staring right back at her in panic. Sandry realized that herself and the other two girls were still holding him down. Briar started to fight again, not registering the caring look in Sandry's eyes, so often that kindness had not been for him that he didn't think it was now.

'_A kind household is not where I belong,_' were Briar's last thoughts before pain exploded behind his eyes and he went limp in the girl's attempts to hold him still. '_Not where I belong._'

**Author's Notes:**

So, cliffy or not? You can tell me! Yay! Briar is in good hands! I am sorry to all of you who grew attached to Ratter, even though he wasn't a main character. But I had to kill him, I couldn't bring him back to Winding Circle with Briar even though I wanted to, but he wasn't going to fit in with the storyline.

I would like to say that I did make a mistake in the first two chapters. Briar is ten years old, not eleven. And I know some or most of you are probably wondering how Briar lived, ne? You'll find that out in the next chappie!

I would also like to thank IcyPanther again, for giving me the idea for a secret room behind those shelves. Thankies Icy! n.n

And it would be awesome again if all of you could press that review button at the bottom of the page! This story is going better than I thought it would, and those reviews make me very happy when I see them in my inbox! Hope to see you all again next chapter!

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**IcyPanther: **Your welcome, you come up with the idea, you get the credit! n.n I see what you mean, a bit too many 'she's when talking about Rosethorn. Hehe, I have to work on that! n.n

**VanillaChocolate: **Nope, I wouldn't really have a story if he died would I? But since he didn't it is okay =) Here is your update! Hope to see you next chapter!

**Fantasizing-Lady-Knight: **Ah yes, the evil cliffys... I did keep writing as you can see, otherwise you wouldn't be reading!

**Lizai: **Hehe I do like to torture him, as well as all my favorite characters from different books and animes. Glad you like it! n.n

**Emma Lee18: **That is true, but they thought that Briar was possibly dead so they didn't go looking for him, especially when they had no idea where to start looking.

**Kyona Kopper:** Wow I actually got two signed reviews from you for the same chapter! Still trying to figure out how that happened. Anyways, Briar didn't die and your question will be answered in the next chapter. n.n Hope to see you there!

**dreamerdoll: **I'm very glad that you liked it so much! Yeah, the torture is kind of fun to write actually n.n. It probably does hurt, but I wouldn't know how much, never happened to me before... which I'm glad! I know I hate how you can only have 100 fave stories, but thankies for putting me on ur fave authors!


	4. Chapter Four

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Disclaimer: **Wow! I own Circle of Magic! Oh wait, it was only a dream. I have also been told that there seems to be some Holes in this ficcy, I don't own that either T.T 

**Not Where I Belong**

**Chapter Four**

**From last time:**

Briar had stopped twitching and Sandry was leaning over him staring concerning with her cornflower blue eyes when his eyes shot open to reveal a startling gray-green coloring staring right back at her in panic. Sandry realized that herself and the other two girls were still holding him down. Briar started to fight again, not registering the caring look in Sandry's eyes, so often that kindness had not been for him that he didn't think it was now.

'_A kind household is not where I belong,_' were Briar's last thoughts before pain exploded behind his eyes and he went limp in the girl's attempts to hold him still. '_Not where I belong._'

* * *

Briar awoke the next morning because light was streaming between the crack in the curtains hitting him directly on the face from his position on the bed. At first he just gave a groan and rolled over to escape the sun's ray from his sleep. And then he remembered. He sat upright in bed and looked wildly around recognizing nothing of his surroundings.

He was sitting on a bed that was off the floor, not good. The rats could eat through the bottom. There was a large pine wardrobe across the room. On the top of the wardrobe were a bunch of potted plants that were turned towards the sun so that they could bathe in its light.

But when Briar's eyes landed on the plants, they stopped looking at the sun and turned so that their faces (if they had them where they would be) were looking at Briar. And then the English ivy began creeping over its pots rim and stretched itself across the room until it was settled around Briar's shoulders.

The other plants soon joined their English friend until quite a number of the plants had wrapped their tendrils around Briar. He himself was having trouble moving due to the restraints around his arms. But for some reason, the plants seemed to be speaking to him in whispers and he could actually understand them. They were welcoming him home.

"Home?" questioned Briar out loud in a soft whisper, "how can this be home? Home is on the streets where I grew up... this place is too nice for me to stay." The green-gray eyed boy made to rise to leave the bed and that was when he realized two things. One, the plants were still holding him on the bed, and two, he was wearing clean clothes and smelled of soap that all the Bags used all the time.

Sandry was in the kitchen preparing a pot of willowbark tea for Briar who she was certain was going to wake up soon. She was whistling happily, everything was going to be all right. Besides the fact that she and her two housemates and almost been strangled by plants last night, everything was looking very well. For some odd reason, Briar's fever had gone down slightly after last night's escapade.

The teapot whistled signaling that the water that was boiling was at the perfect temperature. Sandry took two cups off the shelf, in both she poured the steaming liquid. In the first cup she added a teabag and in the other, she added the mixture for the willowbark tea. Those filled, the teapot was returned to the stove (did they have stoves?) to keep the water warm in case someone else in the household wanted one.

The young noble was balancing the two tea cups in one hand while she slowly opened Briar's bedroom door with the other. The sight that greeted her was not one that she had been expecting. Briar was completely tangled up in the plants that had come down from the wardrobe, and they continued to tighten their hold on him as he struggled to get loose.

"You know," she said matter or factly, "if you would stop moving they wouldn't have to keep a grip on you. They just don't want to leave the bed, Lark's orders."

Briar let out a startled gasp when Sandry made aware of her presence. "Who are you? Where am I? What happened?"

"You're certainly full of questions, aren't you?" responded Sandry as she set the tea cups down on the nightstand next to the bed. "I'll answer them after you drink this," she said handing him the cup with the willowbark tea. "It's to help bring your fever down and I'm sorry about the taste, it's not the best stuff ever made."

Briar glanced warily at the cup that Sandry had handed him. He then took a small sip and Sandry giggled at the face he made in response to the tea's horrible taste. But since Briar wanted answers, he plugged his nose with his left hand that was now free of plants and gulped the tea down at once. A little too fast he realized when he choked on it.

Sandry reached over and gently patted his back, not knowing that his back was very tender due to whippings, but those at least were starting to heal nicely although they would scar. Briar winced slightly, but didn't comment, not really wanting to tell this strange girl what had happened.

"Now will you answer my questions?" demanded Briar. He was getting impatient. If it had been him who had been asked and he answered he might have gotten roughed up a bit, being a suspect withholding valuable information.

"Okay, my name is Sandrilene fa Toren, but everyone calls me Sandry. You-"

"I'm living with nobles? Just perfect." Briar put his head in his hands. "What's next?"

"You didn't let me finish. So you know I'm not like most nobles. Anyways, you are at Discipline Cottage in Winding Circle Temple in Emelan. You're not here to be punished," she continued in answer to Briar's look. "All of us are here because we have unnatural magic."

"Magic?" scoffed Briar, "that stuff is all fakery, none of it is real."

"So if it isn't real, how come all the plants are over here and not basking in the sun? It is a sunny day you know."

"How the heck am I supposed to know why plants are gathering around me? What happened anyways?"

"Well if you would stop interrupting I would be able to tell you," Sandry huffed. "I'm not quite sure what happened," she said in a softer voice, "Rosethorn came home yesterday with you in hysterics. Daja was sent to get a healer and none of the adults would let us in until late. You were running a pretty high fever and from I understand you were in a mining cave-in and you breathed in poison."

The black haired boy's eyes widened in shock and remembrance. "Ratter! What happened to Ratter?"

The stitch witch cocked her head. "Who's Ratter?"

Briar was about to answer her question when a call interrupted him. "Sandry, is he up yet?"

"Yes Lark. Do you want me to go get Niko, Rosethorn, Daja and Tris?" A dark skinned woman entered the room and smiled warmly at Briar.

"If you could Sandry that would be great. Daja and Frostpine are at the forge, Niko and Tris are up my the wall, and Rosethorn is in the garden. Just tell them all to come in."

Sandry nodded and left the room first stop was Rosethorn. She popped her head into the extremely large garden that was in their backyard. Not seeing Rosethorn at first glance, Sandry walked down a row that contained bean and tomato plants. She saw Rosethorn in the next row over pruning her carrots.

"Rosethorn? Briar woke up. I have to go find everybody else so I'll be back soon." Sandry ran off to the forge and alerted Daja and Frostpine and then to the wall where she told Tris and Niko. All hastened back to the little cottage where they found Rosethorn talking quietly to Lark outside the door.

Lark looked up and smiled at all of them. "Now when we go in, I want everyone to introduce themselves and don't be intimidating. He is still unsure about his surroundings and all the people who are here. Remember, he grew up learning not to trust people." Six heads nodded to Rosethorn's statement and they all entered the room.

Briar was once again surrounded by plants and looked up when the seven people entered. Tris and Daja looked at him uncertainly, they didn't know what to say, Sandry was the people person, not them.

Niko started first. "My name is Nikarian Goldeye. I am a truthsayer and a seer and am Trisana's teacher. Most people here call me Niko." Briar gave a small nod and tugged on one of the plants that would not let go of his arm. Frostpine stepped forward next.

"My name is Frostpine and I'm a smith mage. I am working with Daja," he said nodding at the incredibly tall girl. He then pushed Daja forward a bit.

She sighed. "My name is Daja Kibuso. I am a Trader, but also Trangashi. I'm also a smith mage."

Niko gave the redhead a small shove and she looked at Briar over her spectacles. "Trisana Chandler. Everyone calls me Tris. I work with the weather. Storms, typhoons, lightning if you know what I mean." Briar nodded again and his gaze fell on the only person who had yet to introduce themselves. He was guessing that this must be Rosethorn.

The Earth Dedicate looked at the boy whom she had rescued. "My name," she said curtly, "is Rosethorn. And you boy, are going to be my student. And just so that you know in advance, I do not accept laziness, sloppiness, or carelessness. None of that will be tolerated when you are under my rule."

Briar looked quite stunned at the turn of events. He was going to be a student? For what though? He couldn't even read or write. It had gone from name introductions to statements of his apprenticeship. Briar opened his mouth but closed it not knowing what he wanted to say, making him look much like a fish.

All the younger girls especially Sandry, were looking at Rosethorn as if she had lost her mind. She was already ordering Briar around and as Sandry knew, Briar thought that magic didn't exist.

Rosethorn turned and left the room, Frostpine and Niko following her. Lark looked at the four children, and said "why don't you four learn a bit more about each other? And don't let Briar out of bed."

The girls all sat down. Sandry on the foot of the bed, Tris on the chair that everyone had been keeping vigil on the night before, and Daja settled herself comfortably on the floor. The all of them looked at each other. None of them really knew Briar, and Briar didn't know any of them. '_Plus,'_ he thought, '_they're all girls.'_

Daja was playing idly with her Trader staff that had no design on the top that declared her as Trangashi. Briar looked over to where she was rubbing the polished cap and asked in Trader although a little sloppily, "What happened to 'em?" He nodded towards her staff.

The young Trader girl looked up in surprise when he spoke to her in her native tongue. Sandry looked equally surprised. "You, speak Trader?" she asked curiously.

"I might be from the streets, but I ain't stupid. So you gonna answer my question or not?"

"My family's ship sank. I was the only survivor. Now I'm Trangashi because I am supposed to bring bad luck to other Traders." Daja felt tears pricking on her eyelids and quickly blinked them back and fiddled wit the red armband she wore to show that she was in mourning.

"Sorry about that. So where are you two's parents?" he asked looking at Tris and Sandry.

The two girls who hadn't answered looked at each other and then Sandry spoke. "My parents are dead of smallpox. My uncle, the Duke comes here often to see me."

Briar's mouth opened and closed again, the noble he had been talking to was related to the Duke of Emelan, she could possibly grow up to be the Duchess! Tris took this moment to speak her part. "My family tossed m out and said they never wanted to see me again because demons were inside of me."

Briar whistled. "Now that's something. So what was it?"

Sandry shook her head. "Tris has weather magic Briar. Everyone here has magic, even you. So magic is real no matter how much you deny it, and you do have it. Tell me Briar, why do you have the name of a plant? Surely that couldn't have been your gang name."

Briar shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I thought the wind told me, but that's just too weird to be true. Can the wind talk anyway? Cuz these plants sure talk enough." he finished nodding his head at the plants that were gathered around the bed.

Daja and Tris looked surprised. At the same time they questioned, "Plants can talk? What did it say?"

The boy looked at them, puzzlement written all over his features. "You mean you can't hear 'em?" His eyes widened when all three girls shook their heads in a negative answer. "But I thought everyone could...."

"Well they can't Boy. Only you and I can because we are plant mages." All four children looked up to see Rosethorn standing in the doorway holding a cup that smelled like willowbark tea. She walked over to the bed and handed Briar the cup. "Drink up if you want to get better. Midday will be ready in fifteen minutes." Rosethorn turned and left the room.

Briar was staring into his tea with a thoughtful expression on his face. He then plugged his nose and swallowed the tea in a few gulps, not as big as the first time so that he wouldn't choke like he did the first time. "You guys are certain that you can't hear the plants?"

"No we can't. I guess what Rosethorn said was true. Only plant mages can understand the plants. Like how Daja and Frostpine can hear metal, Tris can talk to the winds and the weather, and Lark and I can understand threads."

Briar just stared into his empty teacup. Maybe he did have magic then. Everyone in that he had met so far seemed to think so. The room was silent for a few minutes everyone lost in their own thoughts. The silence was broken by Lark calling them to midday. The girls rose from wherever they had been sitting and exited the room, Briar following behind, but letting his nose take him to where he wanted to be.

His nose led him to a table that was laden with very good smelling food. The girls were sitting down in what looked like their usual seats and the adults minus Frostpine were also sitting down. There was one spot left on the bench and Briar didn't know if that was for him or not. It was next o Daja so he assumed that they were waiting for Frostpine.

"Hurry up Boy! We can't start till you are sitting down!" Briar actually gave a small jump when Rosethorn barked out to him, and he very self-consciously slid into the empty seat. A blessing was said over the food and then the serving, eating and talking began.

Rosethorn was in a discussion with Lark about how some man that Briar didn't recognize the name of, Crane, was trying to grow tomato plants in his greenhouse. "It'll never work," she was saying, "you can't force every plant to grow out of season and still expect the perfect flavor out of it."

The newly discovered plant mage who was stating to believe it himself had never heard of what Rosethorn had been talking about. "What's a greenhouse?" he asked quietly hoping that no one would laugh because he didn't know what they already did.

Rosethorn actually seemed pleased by the question. "A greenhouse Boy, is a house made completely out of glass so that plants can grow all year round without dying in the winter due to the frost. But remember," she said shaking a finger at him, "that the plants that grow there are out of their normal growing patterns so they don't always taste as good as they should, hence bland flavor in the tomato plants."

Sandry was then reminded that Briar was there and he had still not answered the question she asked previously. '_Of course',_ she mentally slapped herself, _'you forgot to remind him. Might as well as him now.' _"Briar," she said aloud, "you never answered my question earlier..."

Briar looked up from the piece of bread he was eating. "And what was that Duchess?"

"Who's Ratter?"

Briar stiffened in his seat and then panic set into his wyes. How could he have forgotten to ask about what had happened to his friend? Everyone noticed him stiffen and Rosethorn got out of her seat and walked around the table. She placed a gentle and callused hand on Briar's shoulder and whispered something in his ear and then as he stood up guided him out of the room into the garden.

"What did I say?," questioned Sandry. Everyone else shrugged, they had no idea.

* * *

**Briar POV** (A bit backwards, but I had to do it)

"Who's Ratter? I felt my shoulders stiffen, I had forgotten to ask about my only friend in that dump of a camp. Rosethorn must have noticed my unease because she came around the table and put a hand on my shoulder.

She then whispered quietly in my ear so that no one else could hear, "Let's go outside, I need to tell you something." I gave a short nod and then let Rosethorn lead me into a huge garden in the back of the house. Rosethorn led me to a little bench and sat me down. "Briar you need to know this. Ratter is dead."

I went numb with shock, this couldn't be happening, it just couldn't. Ratter couldn't be dead. "How?" was the only thing I managed to get pas the lump that was starting to grow in my throat.

"There was poison in the area where you were working. None of the boys were treated and everyone from there died except for you. Ratter did tell me to tell you before he died that you were a good mate. I'm very sorry it had to come out like this."

I pulled his knees up to my chest and then buried my head on top of them. My shoulders were shaking with suppressed sobs so I knew that Rosethorn knew that I was crying, but right now I didn't care. Why did he have to die and I lived? Why him? He was the only one there who was nice to me. The only one who cared. "Why," I sobbed, "did he have to die? It should have been me! How the heck did I live if I was down there and he was in the open air? It's not fair!" I yelled, my eyes glinting angrily.

"I was wondering why you had survived as well," Rosethorn said calmly to me. "But I sent out my connection to the plants that were still alive at the mine and asked them how you lived. They took the air from outside and transferred it to you. And they also somehow made you start breathing."

"It's still not fair! I deserved to die! I'm still a street kid no matter which way you look at it, I'll never belong here!" I jumped up from the bench and ran around to the front of the house, entered, and went to my room slamming the door behind me. Then I moved the blankets to the floor, curled up in my 'nest' and cried myself to sleep.

**End Briar POV**

* * *

Rosethorn entered back into the kitchen by herself and sat down back in her seat with a sigh. "What did I say Rosethorn?" Sandry questioned wondered what she had said to upset Briar.

The Earth dedicate looked over at Sandry. "Ratter, was Briar's friend at the mining camp. He died helping to save Briar's life. The poison in the mine section that Briar was in killed every boy except Briar. And the boy only lived because the plants supplied him with oxygen that was purer than what everyone else was inhaling."

"Oh my goodness." Sandry hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry Rosethorn, he mentioned him and I wanted to know who he was."

"It's not me you should be apologizing to Sandrilene, it's Briar. Speaking of which, did he come back? After I explained to him what happened he ran off."

"He's back," said Tris, "or at least that is what I interpret the slamming door to be." Tris actually felt a bit bad for Briar. Losing a friend must be hard, she would never know. She didn't really have any friends, she preferred animals because they couldn't tease her about her weight or her spectacles.

Sandry nodded. "I'll go talk to him," she said as she stood up from her seat. The brown haired girl left the room only to return moments later. "He's asleep and he needs the rest. I don't want to wake him. Although, he did move all the blankets to the floor and is sleeping down there."

"Just let him stay there for now," said Lark. "If being closer to the ground makes him feel more comfortable, we should let him stay there. Most kids from the streets would want o be on the ground anyways. The rats can't eat through the bed."

"That's gross," stated Tris. "Who would even let a rat near them? I would have it killed."

"I'm sure that he isn't fond of rats Tris, but he and his gang probably had to fight with the rats for territory and possessions. Why do you think kids on the streets are called street rats?"

"Rats were never a problem on my family's ship. My cousins and I were in charge of finding any rats that were in the lower decks and toss them overboard. But I highly doubt that Briar and his gang even thought about doing that. But of course, when your at sea, you don't necessarily endanger people's health's."

"How long do you think he's been on his own?" inquired Sandry. "He doesn't seem to speak properly, all slang, but he seems that he was able to care for himself."

"Well," said Lark, "he was probably ganged up, meaning that he was in a gang where he had people to watch his back."

There was a knock on the front door, which turned out to be Frostpine's apprentice, Kirel, saying that Frostpine wanted Daja to come down to the forge when she was done with midday, he had something to show her. Daja, since she was finished with her meal, bid everyone good bye and left the cottage with Kirel.

Niko decided that he and Tris should get back to work, so the two of them headed to a hill near the ocean. Lark thought that it was a good time for her how to start teaching Sandry to weave correctly so they disappeared into Lark's workroom. Rosethorn went into her workroom to finish labeling some jars of a new sleeping powder.

A few hours later Briar woke up on the floor and looked around not remembering where he was. But after he had sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, it occurred to him why he was sleeping in the middle of the day. Ratter was dead. Ratter was dead and there was nothing he could do to bring him back to life.

Meanwhile, Sandry had decided that it was time to stop for the day. Her fingers were starting to ache something terrible, and she had to go start preparing dinner. _'But first, I need to apologize to Briar. He should be up by now.'_ That thought in mind, Sandry packed up her supplies and made her way to Briar's room and knocked softly. When he didn't answer, she pushed the door open a crack, to see him sitting up in his 'nest' surrounded by his plants.

"Briar?" she asked tentatively as she stepped into the room and silently closed the door behind her. "I wanted to say I was-"

"No need to apologize, you didn't know," Briar said into his hands without looking at her.

Sandry mentally let out a sigh of relief as she stepped further into the room and sat down on the edge of the unoccupied bed. "So do you want to talk about anything? Otherwise I have to go make dinner, want to help?"

Briar looked at her in surprise. "I can't cook," he stated firmly.

"Of course you can silly, anyone can! All you need is practice. I didn't know how to cook when I got here, but I can make the basics. Besides it is one of our chores."

"Chores?"

"Yes, since we all live here we have to pitch in with the cooking, cleaning, stuff like that. Lark keeps a chart that tells us who does what each day. Today I'm in charge of making dinner. I'm just making spaghetti, if you want, you could make the garlic bread."

Sandry smiled sweetly and held out her hand to Briar. Come on! It'll be fun!" Briar cautiously put his hand in hers and let her pull him up and together they left his room and headed to the kitchen. Briar looked around in confusion as to where the rest of the household was.

"Everyone's still working or practicing, whichever one they are doing." Sandry went to the counter and picked up a list. Then went into the pantry and came out with some garlic powder, and uncooked pasta. Going over to the windowsill she pulled down some tomatoes and a basil leaf for the pasta sauce. "Before we start we need to go down to the kitchens to get some butter and bread."

The blue eyed girl grabbed Briar by his sleeve, poked her head into to Larks room and told her that her and Briar we leaving to get some ingredients from Dedicate Gorse and then dragged Briar and a basket out the front door. "That's nice dear," called Lark and then after the door had closed, "Wait! Briar went too?" Lark smiled to herself and went back to her weaving.

The two children made their way down the road to the kitchens, Sandry pointing out different buildings. "There's the greenhouse," she said pointing to a see through house between a thicket of trees. "And the bathhouses," Briar made a face, "and the forge, and here we are at the kitchens."

Sandry pushed open the door and Briar's nose was filled with the smell of delicious food being cooked all around him. A rather round man wearing a food stained apron made his way over to the two youths. "What can I get you today Lady Sandry? And who's your friend?"

"We need some butter and a large loaf of bread. Briar I'd like you to meet Dedicate Gorse, head of the kitchens. Dedicate Gorse, this is my new housemate Briar."

"Nice to meet you Briar. Let me go get those things for you Sandry." The man dipped his head and walked off through thee bustling kitchens and came back with what Sandry had asked for, as well as a tin of chocolate chip cookies and two strawberry pasties. "Pasties are for now, don't let them ruin your appetites, keep the cookies for dessert." Sandry thanked him for both herself and Briar and then the children left the kitchens to head back for Discipline.

Briar was eating his pasty in large bites and finished in five. "Those are good," he commented. Sandry was nibbling slowly on hers, wanting to savor the taste. She ate half and then offered the rest to Briar.

"I don't want to spoil my supper, but you look like you could use another. We need you to gain some weight, I bet you're lighter than me!" Briar took the offered pasty and finished the uneaten half in two bites. By that time they had arrived in front of their home. Walking back into the kitchen with their supplies, Sandry started boiling some water in a kettle and then began to instruct Briar on how to make garlic bread.

"First, we have to cut the bread so that it is in slices. Like this." Sandry cut the first piece and it fell neatly onto the cutting board. "Now you try." Briar carefully placed his left hand on top of the loaf and put the knife in the same manner Sandry had. He began to cut in a downward motion until his piece landed next to Sandry's. It was a little thicker in some parts than others, but it looked okay. "Good job," praised Sandry. "Now do that to the rest of the loaf while I start the sauce."

Five minutes later, the water had reached the boiling point and Sandry tossed in the spaghetti noodles and went back to stirring her sauce that was starting to smell very appetizing. Briar had finished slicing the loaf of bread and had put each piece in a row on cookie sheet (don't know if that's right, but that is what my family uses ) "I'm done Duchess, now what?"

Sandry came over to inspect Briar's work and nodded in approval. "Now you need the butter." Taking a knife she took some of the butter out of the container that Dedicate Gorse had given her and spread it evenly over a piece of bread. "Do that for each piece, don't use too much butter, but make sure you cover the whole thing. Otherwise it'll be just plain bread."

The ex-thief nodded and set about his new task while Sandry went back to tend to her sauce to make sure that it would not burn. Briar finished his task shortly and turned back to Sandry who was tasting a noodle to see if it was cooked. "A bit longer," she muttered to herself. "Oh are you done Briar?" Briar bobbed his head. She went back over to her 'student' and brought with her the garlic powder she had gotten from the pantry. "All you have to do is sprinkle some of this on each piece. But not too much," she cautioned, "unless we want it to be really garlicy, and trust me it doesn't taste very good."

Briar put just enough on each slice and then Sandry put them in the oven to cook. "Everyone should start coming back right about now," she said and sure enough the front door opened and Tris, Daja, and Niko walked in. All three went to wash their hands and then Daja began to set the table. "Supper will be ready in a few minutes," Sandry called loudly enough so that no matter where you were in the house you could hear her.

Minutes later, everyone from the household trooped into the cozy kitchen and took their seats at the set table. Sandry and Briar came with the food on plates and set it down in the middle of the table and then slid into their appointed seats. Blessings were said over the meal and then the food was passed around the table.

"Sandry did you cook?" asked Niko. "Everyone is delicious! Garlic bread is just perfect."

"Well, I made the spaghetti and the sauce, but Briar made the garlic bread. He did a very good job for his first time at cooking." Everyone looked at Briar who looked at his plate, a slight blush coating his cheeks from his the double praise.

"Very good Briar, I couldn't have done better myself. Now, all four of you listen carefully. Tomorrow we are going to be practicing meditating because all of you need it, and Briar needs to learn so he doesn't lose control o f his power like he did last night."

"I lost control? How? When? What happened?"

"You tried to have your plants strangle us when we were trying to keep you on the bed when you were having a fit last night."

"Sorry about that Coppercurls, next time wake me up."

Daja sighed. "We tried to wake you up, but you didn't. It was lucky that Tris made a strong enough wind to wake all of the adults up. Rosethorn was able to tell the plants to go back to her workroom."

When supper was ended, Tris went upstairs to read a book and Daja went to her room. Sandry went to the roof and invited Briar to go with her, but before they got to the stairs, Lark put a hand on Briar's shoulder and said that he would be up in a few minutes she had to talk with him. Sandry nodded and went up.

Lark brought Briar to his room and sat him down on the bed. "Please take off your shirt, I need to re-bandage and clean your back injuries." Briar sighed but did as he was told. Lark undid the bandages and was pleased to see that the lacerations on his back were healing nicely. "Briar you do know that you will have some scarring on your back from your lashing."

The former street rat nodded sadly and sat in silence until Lark applied some hydrogen peroxide to a particularly deep cut that she wanted to make sure did not get infected. "Ow! What was that for? It stings!"

"I'm sorry Briar, but I need to make sure none of these get infected or it could be worse. Just to let you know, you don't have to tell anyone about these. Currently only Niko, Rosethorn, Dedicate Lily, and I know. No one else will learn unless you tell them and that is completely up to you."

Briar made no acknowledgement to her statement. By that time Lark had finished re-wrapping the bandages and told him he could put his shirt back on. "Run along Briar. Sandry is waiting for you on the roof." Briar left the room and climbed the ladder to the roof where he found the young noble gazing at the stars.

She looked up when the light from the trapdoor illuminated Briar. "Aren't they beautiful?" she queried letting her gaze travel back to the constellations in the black sky. "There's the Big Dipper, and the Little Dipper. And over there is Draco. So pretty. I wonder what one looks like up close." She sighed in contentment.

"Do you come up here every night just to look at the stars? Not much to see after the first time."

"I come whenever I have the time; it's so peaceful up here. And no, they are changing all the time. I could never get tired of looking at them. I would love to sleep out here one night, but Lark is scared of me rolling off the roof." She giggled. "Sort of silly isn't it? That I would actually roll off of roof? Of course Uncle wouldn't be very pleased if I did fall and broke a bone."

The two of them sat up their quietly in contented silence just glad of each other's company. The spell was broken by Rosethorn. "Sandry! Boy! I know you are both up there! Come down and get ready for bed."

The two stargazers climbed down the ladder and then went down the staircase. They both stopped at Sandry's door. G' Night Sandry," said Briar awkwardly.

"Good night Briar. Sweet dreams." Sandry disappeared into her room and Briar continued to his. Settling down in his heap of blankets he too went to sleep hoping for good dreams.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

No cliffy this time, yay! This story, popularity wise, is doing so much better than I expected! Almost eight reviews a chapter! You guys (and girls) are great!

Now I know that it takes a lot longer to cook pasta than what Sandry and Briar did it in, but I did have to speed things up a bit. Dinner was started a little late. n.n

If any of you are familiar with Emelan money and what there worth is, if you could leave that in your review or send me an e-mail about it, it would be appreciated! I don't own the books or I would check myself, but wherever they travel the currency changes! So I would love some help!

Just so all of you know, I have started my sophomore year in high school and because I am in honors classes, I get a lot of homework. What I'm trying to say is that updates might take longer than usual because my schoolwork comes before fanfics and fun!

Please push that little review button on the bottom. I'm hoping to get a total review count of 32 reviews before I update (and write) the next chapter!

* * *

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**IcyPanther: **Well now we are even n.n You called both Toboe and Hige, Hiei in your story. I did go back and fix it though. You welcome for the credit!

**Dreamerdoll: **Hehe I checked your favorite authors n.n Yeah that is torture, I'd hate to be in your spot. I do read the Tortall series, but haven't read them in a while (like over a year) so I need to reread them to figure out who I like with who. As for Circle of Magic, I really like Briar/Sandry and I think Daja and Kirel make a cute couple. How about you?

**Lizai: **I should have explained that better. He saw the kindness in Sandry's eyes when he woke up and he wasn't used to that or to people being nice to him so he thought he didn't belong. Did this chapter help to clear any of that up?

**This-Is-Not-A-Flame: **Love your penname! Very interesting! I'm really glad you like it! I do hope I put Rosethorn back into her character. She was just being a bit concerned seeing as her student was half dead. n.n I don't know if I put more suspense in the writing, or if I'm still laconic. I did try more desrciption. Any suggestions? I thought it also had a slight flavor of Holes so I added it to the disclaimer. Technically, this is my second story, but the first is going through re-editing so this is really my first really good one. Thankies so much for your support! Hope to see you next chapter!

**warrior of tortall: **Glad you like it!! n.n Hope to see you next chappie!

**Liarra:** I was so happy to get three reviews from you! n.n! Glad Briar is your fave too! I love the angst also! Please don't explode, here is your chapter! n.n

**ooga: **I hate cliffys too.... especially when I'm left hanging! Hope to see you next chapter!

**Emma Lee18:** Spellcheck doesn't catch everything sadly T.T and my eyes don't catch everything when proofreading. Yeah as for Rosethorn hitting herself on the head... A candle wouldn't have worked, but she could have come up with something, ne? Catch ya next chappie!


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Circle of Magic

**Thank you Rosethorn for being my beta reader!**

**Not Where I Belong**

**Chapter Five**

**From last time:**

The two stargazers climbed down the ladder and then went down the staircase. They both stopped at Sandry's door. G' night Sandry," said Briar awkwardly.

"Good night Briar. Sweet dreams." Sandry disappeared into her room and Briar continued to his. Settling down in his heap of blankets he too went to sleep hoping for good dreams.

* * *

Briar woke up feeling very refreshed and ready to start the day, which was a good thing because at that moment Rosethorn decided to burst in without knocking. "Get up, Boy. We are leaving in twenty minutes whether you are ready or not."

"Leaving where?" Briar asked sleepily as he climbed out of his nest. Rosethorn was already gone, but Briar could hear people banging pots and pans around in the kitchen, so after getting dressed, he went in to find Sandry making porridge, Tris setting the table, and Daja coming down the staircase.

Lark came bustling in from the front yard. "Everything is packed, we just need to eat and go." With that the porridge was carried over to the table and everyone sat down and started to eat.

"So where are we going?," he asked around a mouthful of the cinnamon flavored mixture.

Rosethorn gave him a disapproving glare. "Ask that again when your mouth is not full."

Briar swallowed and repeated his question. "We are going to Emelan," said Lark, "to sell some of the temple's wares."

"Oh." Briar finished and cleared his bowl and started collecting everyone else's as Daja began to wash the dishes, five minutes later they was ready to go. Or so they thought.

"Boy, go put some shoes on. We do not walk around barefoot in town."

"Aww do I have to Rosethorn?" whined Briar. Rosethorn gave a curt nod and Briar disappeared back into his room and came out wearing shoes that Lark had found for him. "These things are too tight," he grumbled as he followed the rest of the household out to the waiting wagon.

"All right kids, go climb in the back. Rosethorn and I will be up front if you need anything." All four children climbed into the back where all the items for sale were being kept. Briar looked around in awe of what was there with them. Hand woven baskets, jars filled with medicines and balms, soaps, metalwork, the place was packed to the point of exploding.

"Do we really need all this stuff?" the black-haired boy asked. "There's so much of it."

"Of course we need it," replied the merchant girl. "The temple does need to get some income so that they can continue to work and improve their magic skills."

The ride to town was very uneventful. When they arrived, the children helped to unpack the merchandise and set it up under a canopy so that people could come and look in the shade.

After about two hours, the children, especially Briar, were getting restless in the hot sun of the day. They had already eaten lunch the that Dedicate Gorse had given to Lark to bring with them, but now they were bored.

Lark noticed this and decided that she had to do something. She walked over to where the children were sitting on the edge of the wagon. "How about you kids go have some fun?" she said, handing each child some money. "Be back in an hour, we should be ready to go then. And be careful, all of you!"

Sandry smiled, Daja grinned, Tris looked happy to be moving, and Briar was beaming at the prospect of getting to go explore the town. The four took the offered money and headed off in different directions.

Tris went to go inspect a book stall that they had passed on their way into the bustling city. Daja and Sandry walked off in a random direction, and Briar caught sight of a pair of street rats standing in a corner. He decided to go talk to them to see if they knew anything from Sotat.

Approaching them, Briar held out his hands to show that he wasn't carrying weapons. The two boys looked him over and seemed to come to a silent agreement that Briar was okay to talk to. "Hey, you kids hear anything 'bout Hajra recently?"

The two boys seemed surprised that a nicely dressed boy was talking just like they did. "Look," exclaimed one, pointing to Briar's hands. "He's a thief! Did ya steal those clothes, kid?"

Briar grinned. "Actually, these are mine. Gift from some people I live with. He held out both hands so that they could see both black X tattoos. "I've been caught all three, and went to a mining camp in Hajra. Got stuck in a cave-in and was brought to Winding Circle. Seems that they think I have magic."

Both boys gaped. "You do know that magic is fakery," the one who hadn't spoken yet stated. "And yeah I heard somethin' 'bout Hajra."

"I thought it was too, but they told me I tried to strangle them with plants." Briar shrugged. "So what did ya hear 'bout Hajra?"

"There was an escape actually. Can't remember if it was the docks or a mining camp, but two of 'em got loose. People said that the guy in charge lagged off and they just left. No one has found 'em yet."

Briar opened his mouth to speak. Escapes were so rare; one he could believe, but two getting loose at the same time, that was crazy talk He was interrupted by yelling coming from a back alley that sounded quite a bit like Sandry.

"Aren't you gonna go take a look?" he asked, wondering why these boys weren't making a move to see what was going on.

"Naw, doesn't concern us, so we don't get involved."

"Well I'm gonna go check it out." Briar gave them a friendly wave and raced off to the alley. He saw Sandry and Daja attacking some street boys, who seemed to have the upper advantage. Briar didn't know what the fighting was about, but these girls were sort of like a new gang and if they were in trouble then he had to help.

Diving into the fray, Briar began to punch anyone who tried to punch him. What he wasn't expecting was Sandry to punch him in the face. "God bless it Sandry, I'm on your side!"

"Briar! When did you get here?"

"Talk later, fight now." Briar was just finished getting one out of the way when he met with a very familiar face. Ironically, it was also the only boy still standing and uninjured. "You! I'm going to kill you!" Briar lunged at the boy and tackled him to the ground and started to punch him.

The other boy's dawned recognition and he threw Briar off of him. "Roach? What the heck are you doing here? I thought you were sent to the mines?"

"I'd like to ask you the same question, Slug. What are you doing in Emelan?"

"Getting away from the Bags."

"Do you even realize what you did? You sent me and half the gang all over the blasted country because you couldn't keep watch correctly! And were you sent away? No, 'cause you only got your second then."

Sandry and Daja were just watched this exchange between the two boys, not really understanding what was going on. Tris, who had seen them fighting, had just gotten back with Lark, and they too stared as Briar and the new kid yelled insults at each other.

The young noble covered her ears. she had no idea that Briar could curse in five different languages. Briar and Slug were once again grappling on the ground, trying to punch each other's lights out. "You're getting rusty, Roach," sneered Slug, who was on the bottom. "Seems you forgot what you should always carry with you." Briar felt a sudden pain flare through his stomach as Slug pulled a dagger out of his arm sleeve and jabbed it into his abdomen.

Sandry and Tris screamed as Briar fell back, clutching his stomach. Slug took this moment to get out from underneath and run. And run he did. No one cared about him, though, because Briar was in trouble. Lark rushed over and scooped Briar up in her arms, not caring that she was getting blood all over her robes.

Sandry picked something up off the ground and then they all ran back to the wagon. This time the roles of the two dedicates was reversed. "Rosethorn!" yelled Lark, "get me bandages and water now!"

Rosethorn, who had been packing up what they hadn't sold, which wasn't much, looked up to see her friend and the three girls running towards her, Lark carrying Briar. She quickly disappeared into the back and came out with what Lark had requested.

Lark set Briar on the wagon seat and removed his shirt so that she could get a better look at the stab wound. "It's just a scratch, Lark, you don't need to worry about it." Briar said trying to pull away from the help they were trying to give him.

"That is not just a scratch, Briar Moss, that is a very serious wound that needs treated immediately. Now hold still, I need to clean it." Briar lay quiet as Lark applied a cleaning solution to keep the infection out, and then wrapped the injury with a bandage. "There now, that's better, isn't it?"

Briar just winced in reply and donned the new shirt that Sandry handed him. Lark had packed a change of clothes for everyone just in case they got dirty. "Now, I want to know what happened," said Rosethorn sternly. "What were you doing to get stabbed?"

Sandry looked at her feet. "I'm afraid that it is my fault," she replied guiltily. Eyebrows were raised around the group. "Those boys were beating up a puppy so I told them to leave it alone. Then Daja showed up and we started fighting. Briar popped in sometime and I didn't even know until I actually punched him in the face." Here she looked up at Briar and said quite sheepishly, "I'm really sorry about that, I thought you were on their side."

"No big deal, Duchess, I'm fine."

"Please continue, Sandry," said Rosethorn. "You still haven't told me how he got stabbed."

"Well, we were doing pretty well, Daja and her staff were causing major damage and so was Briar. But it turned out that the last boy left standing was the one who got Briar sent to the mining camps in the first place. I think his name was Slug."

Briar nodded in confirmation. "That no-good little rat got us all caught and then he gets off with nothing except another X. If I see him again he will be dead." Briar clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palm, leaving little drips of blood from the scratches he gave himself.

Sandry grabbed another roll of bandages and a wet rag and tried to clean out the new injuries Briar had inflicted upon himself, but he angrily shook her off. Lark looked worried at this behavior and decided that it was time to change the subject. "I think that it is time we start heading back. It will be getting dark soon," she said quietly.

The children nodded and headed towards the back of the wagon, Briar walking slightly slower than normal as not to further injure his wound. The puppy that Sandry had rescued also joined them. When they reached Discipline, Lark and Rosethorn went around back to see how the children were doing. All four were fast asleep, sprawled out on the floor with blankets that the adults kept in the back. The do g was curled up on top of Sandry, his breath blowing her hair away from her face.

"How sweet," whispered Lark. "How do you want to get them back into the house? I don't have the heart to wake them."

Rosethorn did have the heart to wake them. "All right, all of you get up! You can go back to bed once you get into the house." Groans of protest were heard as they were pulled from their sleep. All four climbed slowly out of the wagon and made their way back to their rooms, Daja and Tris barely making it up the stairs and into bed before they were fast asleep again.

Sandry made it to her bed and even got changed into her nightgown before she collapsed on her bed and was fast asleep. The new pet of the house curled up on the floor and also went to bed. Briar was another story. Now that he was awake he wasn't sleepy anymore. Instead he was wide awake so he just sat in his blanket heap and thought over the events of the day. It had started out okay, and then he had ran into Slug. Oh, how he wanted that kid dead. If Slug had just been a good lookout, he would never have been sent to the mines and would still be running around Hajra. '_But,_' a little voice in his head responded, '_if it wasn't for Slug, you would never have been brought to Winding Circle._' That thought in mind, Briar now suddenly tired, fell asleep.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Yay! I wanted to update today and I did! I want to let you all know that I have been grounded due to an F on my geometry test, so I can't be onm as much, meaning that I can't type my fics. Hope to get the grade up and get my time back though n.n

Also, because many of you have asked, this will be a Sandry Briar fic, but that won't really start until later, seeing as they are only ten years old at the moment.

For any aime people out there, Wolf's Rain is on tonight! And Toboe dies. I'm going to be crying buckets!

Well I have to go babysit in 20 minutes so I better get on with the comments!

* * *

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**IcyPanther: **Hopefully, I won't have any grammar mistakes this chappie! Sandry rolling off the roof would be funny, glad she didn't! I might not have gotten 32, but I did get 31. n.n

**warrior of tortall: **I talk to everyone, no matter how much they write. And this is going to be a S/B fic. (see above)

**Emma Lee18: **No, I couldn't help putting Draco in, but I also couldn't remember any other names. They all had the general idea they had magic when weird things happened around them. I know he shouldn't have met everyone at once, but that's the way it worked. At least he met Sandry first, ne?

**Liarra: **Well it's not going to be a completely angsty fic, but I will see what I can do. I have an idea of something in later years, but not now.

**Dreamerdoll: **Kirel is cute, but I would have Briar over him any day! 50 million? Wow that is a lot! I think Sandry and Briar make such a cute couple. The street rat and the noble. Sort of like Aladdin and Jasmine.

**This-Is-Not-A-Flame: **Thanks so much for being my beta! I left the last line how it was because I really liked it like that. Don't ask me why, I just did. Glad Rosethorn is back in character and yes, we are somewhere in the middle of Sandry's book. We have met Little Bear, who is still unnamed at this moment. n.n

**SoraMiko:** Thanks so much! I should be getting the books soon, so hopefully I will understand it better. I believe the cresecents are in Emelan, the astrels are when we are in Daja's Book, and the majas are in Street Magic? Guess I'll have to read them again! Hope to see you next chappie!


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: I can dream and wish as much as a want, but I will never own the Circle of Magic or Briar.**

**Thank you to my beta, Rosethorn. **

**Not Where I Belong**

**Chapter Six**

**From last time:**

Sandry made it to her bed and even got changed into her nightgown before she collapsed on her bed and was fast asleep. The new pet of the house curled up on the floor and also went to bed. Briar was another story. Now that he was awake he wasn't sleepy anymore. Instead he was wide awake so he just sat in his blanket heap and thought over the events of the day. It had started out okay, and then he had ran into Slug. Oh, how he wanted that kid dead. If Slug had just been a good lookout, he would never have been sent to the mines and would still be running around Hajra. '_But,_' a little voice in his head responded, '_if it wasn't for Slug, you would never have been brought to Winding Circle._' That thought in mind, Briar now suddenly tired, fell asleep.

* * *

Sandry awoke to something wet licking at her face. She opened her eyes and was met with the sight of the little dog she had rescued yesterday, trying to lick her to death. "I'm up, I'm up!" Sandry said, sitting up and pushing the dog into her lap. Her face felt incredibly sticky from the puppy slobber that was coating her face so the young noble climbed out of bed and padded over to the dresser where she had a water basin and a wash cloth. Rubbing some soap on the rag, Sandry washed her face thoroughly.

After she had washed up, Sandry pulled out a cotton dress from her large wardrobe and got dressed. Then, she brushed and plaited her light brown hair into two neat braids, and pinned them up on the sides of her head. Nodding at her reflection in the mirror, Sandry walked out of the room with the puppy following at her heels.

Upon entering the kitchen, the dog took off for the pan that was sitting on the cooking the breakfast bacon. Lark, entering the kitchen after getting flour from the pantry, gasped in surprise at the scene that was laid out in front of her. Sandry had the dog pinned on the ground and was trying to hold him still as he wriggled to get out of her grip to get at the bacon.

Sandry and the dog looked up at the startled gasp from Lark, and the dog, seeing a friendly new face, who happened to be carrying something that was food, (even though flour wasn't very appetizing), broke free of Sandry's grasp and pounced on Lark. Lark dropped the bag of flour, which burst open, causing the three occupants of the kitchen to be covered in the white powder.

From the noise coming from the kitchen, the other house members rushed into the kitchen to see what the commotion was all about. Briar looked at the two flour covered humans and remarked, "What happened to you two?"

Tris, who had now ventured into the kitchen, armed with a broom intent on cleaning up the mess, gave a short scream when one of the white mounds, that Tris had taken to be flour, moved and tackled the merchant girl. A wet, pink little tongue came away from the white mass and started covering Tris in puppy kisses.

"Oh you poor little thing, how did you get coated in flour?" Tris cooed to the dog. Tris had a very soft spot for animals, and a floured covered one was no exception.

Sandry was apologizing rapidly to everyone, for waking them up, and especially to Lark, who was now dusting herself free of flour. "I had no idea that he was going to do that, I'm so sorry, Lark!" Turning to the dog, now sitting quietly in Tris' lap, she continued, "And as for you, you should know not to jump on people. I guess we will need to teach you some manners." Sandry gestured at the children standing around the room.

Rosethorn had been staring around with scorn at the mess that the mutt had managed to create, when Daja ran past her to the stove, where she quickly pulled the bacon off the stove. Sadly, she was a little late, and the bacon slices were now charred, black crisps. The Trader gave a half smile. "I guess we won't be eating any bacon today."

"Can we go down and get something at Dedicate Gorse's?" asked Briar, his mouth already watering at the taste of the head cook's food.

"Yes, you children go pick up some breakfast for us," said Lark, "Rosie and I will stay here and get this place cleaned up."

"Bring that dog with you. You can fashion a lead for it with some rope out back," added Rosethorn.

"Make sure you all stay out of trouble," cautioned Lark. "Have fun."

"Yes, Lark," the children said. Sandry took the offered token from Lark so that they could travel freely without getting into trouble for being out alone. The children brought the dog to the back of the cottage where Briar found the rope and tied it around the dog's neck using a large square knot. Sandry dusted herself off as Briar did this and was soon presentable.

"Shouldn't break out of that. The only way he can get loose know is if someone lets go of the leash. I'll walk him first." Briar took the rope and the group headed out the front gate and down the path to the kitchens.

"You know," said Tris, "he needs a name. We can't keep calling him the dog."

"That's a good idea," agreed Daja, "but what should we call him?"

"Prince? King?"

"Dino? Big Foot?" Name after name was suggested, but nothing seemed to fit the little dog.

"How about Little Bear?" suggested Tris. "He's little now, but he is probably going to grow up to be pretty big.

The other three nodded their agreement. Briar stopped walking and bent down in front of the dog's face. "Your name is Little Bear. Do you like it?" Little Bear gave a happy yip and tackled Briar in the middle of the road and started licking him.

"I think he does," said Daja wryly. "We are going to have to teach him to stop doing that. We can't have him jumping on anyone that talks to him." Sandry and Tris nodded, Briar was still trying to get the wriggling puppy off of him. Eventually with help from all the girls, Briar was back on his feet and they continued down the road.

When they reached the building all four realized something very important. They could not, under any circumstances, bring Little Bear into the kitchens. They shuddered involuntarily at the havoc Little Bear would cause.

Briar took the end of the rope that he had been holding, and walked over to a large oak tree. He securely tied the rope around the trunk. "Now stay here and be good."

"Shouldn't one of us stay with him?" asked Daja eyeing the dog warily. "We don't want him to attack anyone."

"Nah, he'll be fine. We'll only be gone for a few minutes anyways." The children gave a wave to their new pet and trooped into the kitchens which were as busy as ever.

Dedicate Gorse made his way over to the quartet who were standing just inside the doorway. "Ah good morning Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar. What can I do for you today? Some butter? Freshly baked bread?"

Sandry looked at the jolly chef sheepishly. "Actually Dedicate, we are going to need a whole meal. Our dog got into the kitchen this morning and ruined the breakfast."

Dedicate Gorse chuckled. "When did you get a dog? I highly doubt Rosethorn, of all people, would let a dog in the house."

"Sandry rescued it yesterday while we were in town," said Daja, "and now he is tied up on the tree out front until we come back."

"Then I'd best hurry," said the dedicate. "Be back in a wink of an eye." Gorse disappeared into the crowd of people and came back moments later carrying a huge basket. "Here you go, besides breakfast are some treats for you four for later. There are also some kitchen scraps in a bag. Maybe you can use them to train your dog."

"Thank you very much, Dedicate Gorse," said Sandry. Daja took the basket and they all went back the way they had come, stepping out into the bright sunshine. Little Bear had been lying down under the tree, but at the sight of the children, and the smell of food, he jumped up and started to bark.

"Didja miss us Boy?" asked Briar, bending down and scratching the dog between his ears. At the whiffing sound as the dog smelling the air, Briar grinned. "Guess not, you just want the food. Well you can have some if you are a good boy on the way back to Discipline." The ex-thief undid the knot that was holding the dog to the tree and they set back up the road.

Little Bear kept straining at his lead, trying to get to Daja, who had the food. Briar kept the dog in check and a few minutes later, they reached home safely. The four children and Little Bear entered the house and Little Bear dragged them to the now clean kitchen The flour mess had been swept up, the bacon pan washed, and the table set.

Daja set the basket of food on the center of the table and the rest of the occupants sat down to eat. Briar sat after tying Little Bear to a the leg of the stove. Tris opened the basket and took out a plate covered with tinfoil. Undoing that, she revealed a full plate of gigantic blueberry muffins that smelled delicious. Wrapped in a large plaid cloth, there were a number of different kinds of pastries. Also a tin of cookies with a note on top that said 'Later', another container that had a fresh fruit salad, and two fresh loaves of bread.

"Yummy!" exclaimed Briar as his hand automatically reached for a strawberry pastry.

Rosethorn slapped his hand away from the pastry. "You may have one, after you have some fruit salad and a muffin." "Honestly," she muttered under her breath, "Gorse will spoil the four of you rotten." Briar just grinned and took a large portion of the fruit salad, which contained apple pieces, grapes, bananas, and raspberries.

After each child had eaten the required healthy food, all took a pastry and began to eat. Sandry nibbled at hers, savoring the flavor like always. Tris ate hers primly, wiping her face with a napkin after each bite. Daja ate hers neatly, but wasn't being 'Miss Proper' to do so. Briar was just eating his as he pleased. And that was taking extremely large bites. Briar finished first and was reaching for a second, but Rosethorn put the lid on the container.

"I think that one is enough for all of you," she said as she put the pastries on a shelf in the pantry.

"Look," said Sandry, reaching into the basket, "here are the scraps that Dedicate Gorse said Little Bear could have."

"Little Bear?" asked Lark. "The name sure fits him well enough." She smiled at the little dog in the corner, who raised his head and wagged his tail. "I think someone is hungry," she continued. "You children should give him some breakfast."

Rosethorn stepped in to speak her piece. "While that dog is under my roof, you children will feed, walk, clean up after, and play with him regularly. And he is not allowed in my quarters, or out he goes."

The children nodded solemnly, none of them wanted to lose Little Bear after they had just gotten him. Tris fed the dog the scraps that Gorse had given them, but saved some so that they could start training him later.

Lark clapped her hands. "All right, everyone. We really need to get to work. We will start by doing some meditation, and then we will break up into smaller groups. Agreed?"

Heads nodded, so Lark and Rosethorn started to make the protective circle around the room so that no magic could escape. Briar looked a bit nervous, being the only one who had never meditated before. Sandry noticed this and gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Briar, it isn't hard. Actually kind of fun."

Briar gave a weak smile in return and all of the children sat down in the circle. Little Bear barked from outside the protected bubble; he wanted to come in too. Rosethorn shook a finger at him and he immediately became silent. "Now this is how we do it," Rosethorn said. "I will start counting by sevens. For the first seven counts you breathe in. On the next seven you hold. Then you exhale for seven. And so on."

The other Earth Dedicate chimed in. "Imagine that you are putting all of your power into a very small object, all right? And keep your eyes closed, it helps."

"Here we go." Rosethorn began counting as the small group breathed in and out. Sandry put herself into a small spindle. Tris entered into a slip of wind. Daja became a piece of metal that was being melted over the fire. Briar grew to be a fine vein in a plant stem. After awhile Rosethorn stopped counting and the cluster continued to breathe.

Eventually, Lark whispered, "Everyone open your eyes and look around." The four children opened their eyes and looked at each other in amazement. All four of them were glowing different colors. Tris was a deep ocean blue of the sea, Daja was a vibrant fire red of the forge, Briar was a dark leafy green like the plants, and Sandry was a pale cream color like thread. Rosethorn matched Briar, bit a slightly lighter shade, and Lark was creamier than Sandry.

"That," said Rosethorn, gesturing to the glowing substance, "is your power. You all glow based on where your particular magic is centered. Tris goes with the weather, so she has blue. Daja has metal magic, so she has the red of the forge. Briar is tied to the plants, hence his is green, as is mine. Sandry and Lark are cloth mages. So they are cream like thread before it has any changes made to it."

"Wow," breathed Sandry, "It's so pretty. Should we start our real work now?"

"This is work Sandry. Now all of you close your eyes and the pull your power back to you. Good," she said when they had finished. " I was going tro have you do something else but this is enough. Besides, we have two small problems. The first is that Niko and Frostpine aren't here, so Tris and Daja would not be able to get anything done. The second is that you four need to start training that dog. We will start real lessons tomorrow when Niko and Frostpine return."

The two dedicates broke the protective circle and the kids scrambled out. Tris went over and untied their dog while Daja grabbed what was left of the scraps, then they all trooped out to the backyard where there was plenty of room to work with.

"Has anyone ever trained an animal before?" asked Sandry. "I never have because I wasn't allowed to have a pet. Really go near animals unless we were going on a trip and needed to use horses," she added, as an afterthought.

"Don't look at me," said Briar. "I couldn't have had one, feeding yourself is hard enough on the streets without a pet."

Daja shook her head. "Animals weren't allowed on the ship. The only thing we ever had were rats which we got rid of."

Everyone turned to look at Tris. "Well, I have had a little experience. At one of my aunt's houses, she had a lot of cats. And we sort of became friends, I guess is how you would put it. They would all come to me when I called their names."

"I think we have our animal trainer specialist," said Sandry, gleefully. "How should we start with Little Bear?"

"First," said Tris, "we need to make certain that he knows his name. He can't respond to everything that is said. Little Bear," she called, snapping her fingers, with a piece of food in her other hand, "come here." Little Bear bounded over to her and took the offered bacon bit.

"So does he know his name, or was he just responding to the food?" asked Briar. "I think it was the food."

"I agree with Briar," said Daja, "he wouldn't just automatically know his name from you calling him once."

"That may be true, but remember he has been hearing his name all day as he was introduced to others. So he is most likely starting to learn it. Watch." Tris called the dog's name again, this time without holding any scraps. Little Bear looked up from sniffing the ground and cocked his head at Tris. "See? He does know his name. I think the most important thing that we should work on is teaching him how to sit for starters."

"How do you want to do that, Coppercurls? You can't just say sit and expect him to do it, can you?"

"No we can't just tell him to sit. Watch. Little Bear, sit." Little Bear just looked at Tris and went back to exploring the yard. "We have to teach it to him step-by-step. Sandry, bring him back here."

Sandry took a hold of Little Bear's leash and brought him back over to the group. Tris went around to the back of the puppy and gently pushed his rump to the ground until he was sitting on his haunches. "Sit," she said firmly. The dog wagged his tail and stood up. "No, sit," said Tris pushing him back into the sitting position.

"Ah, I get it," said Sandry. "By forcing him to sit and then telling him what he is doing, he will learn what sit means and what to do when we tell him to do it."

"Exactly," responded Tris. She let the dog stand up. "Sit, Little Bear." Little Bear looked around the circle at the children and sat down on his haunches. "Good boy," praised Tris. "Daja go ahead and give him a treat."

The Trader girl held out a treat and Little Bear took it eagerly and ate. "Now what should we teach him? Can we teach him everything today?"

"No," said Tris. "As much as I would like him to learn everything today, he can't. Otherwise he won't remember everything, or he'll mix up commands. Before we end today though, we should teach him how to lay down and to stay. Coming will probably feed into the staying part. Let's get started."

A few hours later, Little Bear could effectively sit, lie down, stay, and come on command. He was having a few problems with the staying part, but Tris had assured the group that they could fine tune that later. Right now, she was glad that he had learned the basics.

The sun had started to set, casting golden red glows across the yard. The four young mages and their trained pet sat on the grass and watched the beauty of the sunset. Everyone and everything was quiet until Lark broke the silence to call them in for supper.

All four went into the house and washed up for supper. Supper consisted of large pieces of chicken , baked potatoes, a large tossed salad for all to share, and one of the fresh loaves of bread that Dedicate Gorse had given them, with butter. Rosethorn blessed the food and the humans began to eat, Little Bear sitting close to the table waiting to be fed.

"Go lie down, Little Bear," said Tris, "you'll be fed after we have eaten." Little Bear tucked his tail between his legs and went to lie down in the corner.

"You children certainly taught him well for his first day of lessons." said Lark smiling in amazement. The children all smiled at each other and continued to eat, although the girls did say thank you for the compliment.

When supper was finished, Sandry washed the dishes as Daja cleared the table. Tris and Briar prepared a bowl of leftover chicken scraps for Little Bear's supper. Following that, the whole 'family' walked to the other side of the kitchen, where it was more of a sitting room. A fire was crackling merrily in the large fireplace for them to enjoy its warmth.

Tris curled up in an overstuffed armchair with a book that she wanted to finish. Sandry decided to finish spinning some thread on her drop spindle. Daja began to read her book on different metals that Frostpine had given her, and Briar played with Little Bear. Lark was in the process of knitting a blanket and Rosethorn was making labels for some concoction or another.

Eventually everyone got up from thir spots around the room and went to sleep.

* * *

Briar was awoken the next morning with a strange feeling that something, somewhere needed his help. Rolling out of bed, he slipped on a shirt and a pair of pants, and slipped out the back door of Discipline without waking anyone.

The signal seemed to be coming from the direction towards the main part of Winding Circle. Briar followed it, and every step he took, it seemed to grow stronger. When he reached the outside of the greenhouse, it was pulsing.

The young plant mage tried the door, and found it locked. Reaching into his pocket, he came out with a homemade set of lock picks. No one about these, of course. He would get in a lot of trouble if someone saw him using them. After a few tries with different picks, the lock clicked and Briar entered.

He followed his senses to the back of the greenhouse, and along the far wall, there was a little tree getting covered up by a large leafy green one. The little tree, or bush, Briar didn't know what it was, seemed to be very sick.

Briar leaned over and picked up the tree, hearing it thank him for planning on helping it, and then made for the door. He was just on his way out, when a voice that vibrated around the glass house shouted, "Stop Thief!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Uh oh! Briar's in trouble! Gonna have to wait to see what happens, coming up in the next chapter! I'm really sorry if part of the story is out of order, but I don't have the books. Besides, this order seems to work well. Could any of you tell me how the children get stuck in the earthquake? I'm having a memory lapse. n.n

I'm naturally a curious person, so for fun, how old is everyone? I'm 15 and will be turing 16 in December.

I want to let you all know, that I had my internet time back for awhile, but now I have lost an hour again. T.T But my other fic is currently on hold so I should still be able to update sooner than I orginally planned.

I was extremely pleased and very happy with the reviewer turnout loast chapter! Let's hope that it is the same, or even better!

See you all next chappie!

* * *

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**Dreamerdoll: **They are the cutest couple that I can think of in the Circle of Magic series! They will get together, I'm looking forward to writing that! But I disagree, Briar is mine. But I will give you a Briar Plushie. ((Gives Dreamerdoll Briar Plushie))

**warrior of tortall**No, you never said that you wouldn't talk to me. Youi said how it was nice of me to leave you a comment even though you didn't say much. Glad you liked it!

**Liarra**I agree. Not enough people update in this section. Hope this update makes you happy! n.n

**cheekychik: **Wow! You have almost hit the nail on the head! Slug will show up again with a few new buddies, any guesses who? Are you a mind reader by chance? Either way, I appluad you for your thinking!

**dragonsgrl**I'm very glad that you like it, but I do hope that you read past chapter one, seeing as I just completed six! n.n Hope to see you next chapter!

**IcyPanther**d og was the only mistake. Rosethorn is a very good beta. That must have been me when I edited it. n.n Thankies! I knew that Lark wouldn't and Rosethorn would! It is just like them! n.n I'm glad I'm transistioning well. n.n Glad you liked that scene. The reasom Briar didn't explain was because he was getting fixed up by Lark, and Sandry was feeling a bit guilty for getting him into the fight in the first place.

**The Summer Stars** Don't feel bad Lell, it took me forever to start writing it. Thankies for the compliment! Since it features Briar, I have to make bad things happen to him, right? Briar is the best! Hehe, now I'm blabbing! Hope to see you next chapter!

**TamiaEternity**Hope this update is good enough for you! And I hope to see you next chapter!

**Emma Lee18:** Glad you liked it! See you next chapter!

**Sorceress Sakura** Briar is the best character! I don't see how people could not like him! Hope to see you next chapter!


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer: I do not own CoM. All rights belong to Tamora Pierce The part with Rosethorn and Crane is taken very closely out of the book. Pierce owns the basic lines.**

**I would like to thank my beta, Rosethorn. You are the best!**

**Not Where I Belong **

**Chapter Seven**

**Author's Quick Note: I have an announcement to make. I made a little error in the storyline. Briar gets his shakkan before they hear the murder. I checked the first two books out of my public library (Thank you for not being checked out! n.n) and found out that the murder scene isn't until Tris's Book. So my storyline is going to be a bit different, hope this isn't an inconvenience to you.**

**From last time:**

He followed his senses to the back of the greenhouse, and along the far wall, there was a little tree getting covered up by a large leafy green one. The little tree, or bush, Briar didn't know what it was, seemed to be very sick.

Briar leaned over and picked up the tree, hearing it thank him for planning on helping it, and then made for the door. He was just on his way out, when a voice that vibrated around the glass house shouted, "Stop thief!"

Briar risked a glance over his shoulder, and saw a man, a dedicate, in the yellow robes of the air temple coming at him. Briar did the thing that seemed like the best option. He ran. A few more people wearing yellow robes and with the white of novices joined the first man and they all gave chase.

The ex-thief took a zigzaggedy course around the grounds, trying to lose his pursuers. And it seemed to be working. That was, until, a stray goat crossed the road to the bush that Briar was currently taking refuge behind and began bleating. An air dedicate looked up and saw him.

"There he goes!"

"Get him!"

"It's that thief boy!"

Back at Discipline, Daja was waking up from a nice long rest when she heard a commotion from out front. People were yelling, and the sounds were getting closer. The Trader walked out of her room to run into Tris at the top of the stairs, who still looked half asleep.

"What's all that racket?" the redhead asked, as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. "It woke me up."

"I have no idea. Let's go find out." The two girls headed down the staircase to see Sandry coming out of her room.

The noises were even louder now, and seemed to be headed right towards Discipline. The three girls walked outside. The commotion was coming from the long spiral road that ran between the loom houses across from the cottage. Yellow and white robed figures were running down the road chasing someone that was unmistakably Briar, who was clutching something tightly to his chest.

Sandry opened the gate and beckoned wildly to Briar, who came running though the opening. One of the dedicates, in a yellow robe with a black hem, pointed at Sandry and shouted, "Don't you _dare_ help him!"

Tris looked at Briar as he stumbled past and asked, "Why _are _we helping you?"

"Stuff yourself," he snapped. "I never asked for your help."

Sandry latched the gate and looked at it. It wasn't much a barrier, but it would have to do, given the circumstances. She purposely stepped into the middle of the path, putting herself squarely between the hunters and their prey.

The dedicate who seemed to be in charge, and also in the lead, reached the gate and cried, "Admit me instantly!" His order lost its threat, however, when he braced his hands on his knees and gasped for breath.

A novice came up behind the dedicate and reached for the latch to the gate, but pulled his hand away quickly when Sandry slapped it. "I did not give you permission to come onto my home ground," the noble cried, her cornflower blue eyes blazing in fury. "I forbid you to enter."

Tris's jaw dropped as she thought, '_Either she is completely crazy, or the bravest person that I have ever met.'_

"Little girl, rank means nothing here," snapped the novice. He went for the latch again, and Sandry stepped forwards, her fists balled in front of her.

"What is going on here?" Tris and Daja looked at each other. Both had wondered when they would ever be glad to see Rosethorn, but now they were. From the looks of it, the dedicate had been working in her garden. Her legs were streaked with dirt and her habit was soaked with dew.

The dedicate who had been bending over catching his breath straightened. "Don't play innocent," he retorted. "Since you are barred from my greenhouse, you send this young rodent-"

"Roach," muttered Briar under his breath.

"Shut up, boy," Rosethorn hissed through clenched teeth.

Briar's accuser crossed his arms over his chest. "Your spy stole a hundred-and-thirty-year-old shakkan tree, and I demand its return!"

"Crane, you idiot, I do not have spies. And you couldn't tend a shakkan properly if your life depended on it. You stick them in that glass house of yours and expect plants to skip the pattern of season because you ask it-"

Lark interjected. "Please, everyone, disharmony upsets the balance of the Circle. Dedicate Crane, Rosethorn would no sooner steal a plant from you than I would steal of hers. Besides, if she did wanted to steal it, she would go herself, not send someone else."

Rosethorn gave a lopsided grin. "Thanks, Lark."

Crane was not about to give up or to be silenced. "The boy is a thief!" He strode over to the gate and leaned inside, grabbing Briar by one arm and pulling him forward. "See," he said pointing the skin on Briar's hands, "he a thief marked twice! He doesn't belong here. As soon as I get my shakkan, Moonstream will hear about my complaint.

"Shame on you," cried Lark, her golden-brown cheeks flushed with anger. "Who are to judge who is fit to stay or go? This lad is here for a reason!"

Briar wrapped his now shaking hands tighter around the bowl that was holding the shakkan tree. If they did toss him out, he would have nowhere to go; nowhere to belong.

Rosethorn put a hand on Briar's shoulder. He looked at her. eyes pleading, to let him keep the shakkan. The dedicate turned back to Crane. "A tomato plant," she said abruptly. "Let the boy -and the shakkan go, and I will give you a tomato plant."

Crane sneered. "With a few words so that as soon as I transplant it, it will die?"

"No, Crane," sighed Rosethorn, sounding exasperated. "With a few words so that it will prosper. Even so, after you force it to grow out of season the fruits won't taste the same."

"One tomato plant for a shakkan? You insult me, Rosethorn."

Lark looked around at the crowd of people and said, "Why don't we talk inside? I know that service in the dining hall will be over soon"- instantly a few dedicates and novices hurried away, "- and some of us here would like to prepare our own meal."

Some of the novices and dedicates looked at each other and scampered off to the dining hall. Lark, Rosethorn, Crane, and the children went back into Discipline. Lark shooed them to their rooms so that the adults could speak in private.

Briar strained to listen through the door, but even with his acute sense of hearing, he couldn't pick up on anything being said in the kitchen. So, to keep himself occupied, Briar put the shakkan tree on his windowsill and tried to turn it in the direction that he thought it would benefit best from.

He turned sharply, almost knocking his prize off the ledge, when his bedroom door opened to display Rosethorn leaning against doorway. "You certainly pick the hard way, don't you? Calm down, I'm not here to arrest you," she said as Briar made the move to bolt out of the room with the shakkan.

The boy looked at her and carefully set the plant back down. "So what did you and that Bag decide?"

"Dedicate Crane was a is a stuck up old dedicate, Briar, but you will not call people that, no matter how much we despise them. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Rosethorn." Briar nodded.

"Good. Now as for that shakkan, I'm allowed to keep it, but I don't have the time to tend to it-"

"I'll take care of it! Just tell me what to do!"

"It isn't exactly a project that I would choose for a beginner, but seeing as it chose you-"

"Chose me? How can it choose me? It doesn't even know me."

"Please stop interrupting, Briar. A shakkan is no ordinary tree. A shakkan stores magic, it becomes magic. That magic can be used by the person who tend to it, that what be you. But do not ever try to tap into it unless you know how, and you need it."

"Can we fix it now? Please?"

"No. I have some work to do, we can work on it later."

"But-"

"It has lived in Crane's greenhouse for a long time with no attention, a few more hours will not kill it. As for now, you can run down to the main area and get a new pot for it. I'll draw a picture."

After Rosethorn had drawn pictures on slates for Briar to get for his shakkan, she went back to her garden while Briar ran down to the stops where he was to collect his items.

Tris had been walking through the front door, when all of a sudden she felt incredibly dizzy and had to grab the doorframe to support herself. Then the ground shook slightly under her feet. "Stupid earth tremors," she muttered under her breath, "you have to keep happening, don't you? Let's just hope this isn't the build up to the climax of a quake."

The only thing that happened at the forge where Daja was working with Frostpine and Kirel, was all the metal objects that were not help down, rattled and some even fell off the shelves.

Briar was walking back up the road to Discipline with his pot and dish, when, he too, felt the tremor. It put him slightly off balance, and if not for his quick reflexes, he would have dropped and broken his parcels.

Sandry, who had been with Lark in the dedicate's workroom, wasn't so lucky. The shake caused her to drop her spindle, undoing all of the work she had just been about to knot off and finish. "Cat dirt!" she exclaimed in dismay as she watched her work unwind.

Lark shook her head. "Those have been happening all spring. I'm a bit worried about what they are predicting what is to come. I do hope Tris is all right , these must be affecting her."

Sandry stood up. "I'll go check on her." The young noble walked up the stairs and knocked softly on the merchant's door. "Tris, it's Sandry. May I come in?" Sandry heard a quiet yes, and entered.

Tris was curled up on top of her bed, looking slightly pale. "Feeling a tad under the weather, pardon the pun," she said to the questioning look she received from Sandry. "These little quakes aren't really helping."

"Would you like me to get you anything?" Sandry asked kindly, wanting her housemate to feel comfortable and get some rest.

"If you just to one thing. When Briar gets back, don't let him nail his ledge in next to the window. I don't really want to get a headache on top of a stomachache."

"No problem." Sandry smiled at the other girl and then left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she collided with Briar, who was heading to his room to nail in the new boards.

"Hi Sandry. What were you doing upstairs?"

"Tris isn't feeling very well. That mini quake gave her a queasy stomach. So she asked me to tell you to not nail any boards in."

"But my shakkan-"

"Will have to wait," Sandry finished for him. "Tris needs to rest and you nailing in a ledge for your shakkan is not going to help her feel better sooner"

Briar walked away muttering under his breath and entered his room, closing the door behind him. He set his supplies down on top of the dresser, high enough so that Little Bear couldn't try to eat them.

Setting the shakkan tree in his lap as he sat cross legged on the floor, Briar asked it his first question after placing his hand on the trunk. _'How old are you?'_

A branch wiggled and placed itself on Briar. _'146 years old.'_

Briar stared at it in amazement. This tree was almost 150 years old! That was amazing! He was about to ask what was wrong with it, when he was interrupted by the front door opening and Daja calling out that she was home. The entrance was quickly followed by Sandry shushing her and telling her about Tris.

Briar placed the shakkan lovingly on the windowsill and left the room to go find out if Rosethorn was ready to work. Instead, as soon as he exited his room, a white fur ball came charging at him, knocking the boy to the ground.

"Little Bear, get off," laughed Briar, as the canine began to give him slobbery kisses all over his face.

Sandry came to the plant mage's rescue. "Little Bear, come here now," she said using her finger and pointing the empty space of floor that was next to her. Little Bear tucked his tail between his legs, and meekly climbed off of Briar to sit where Sandry told him.

"Awww Duchess, you didn't have to do that. He was just playing, weren't you boy?"

Little Bear gave Sandry the puppy dog eyes look that he had picked up on his first day at Discipline. Everyone knew Sandry couldn't resist the puppy eyes. "Oh sweetie, I didn't mean it," she said reaching down and petting the little dog in between his ears. "You are a good boy, if a bit rough at times." Little Bear gave a wag of his tail and trotted off, heading for the stairs.

Briar grinned at Sandry. "Knew you couldn't resist that. He's a smart dog. By the way, have you seen Rosethorn? I want to see if she's ready to work on the shakkan."

"Yes. I saw her in the garden a few minutes ago. Behind the bean plants."

"Thanks Sandry." Briar walked off and entered the garden, the rays of sunshine feeling warm on his skin. All of the plants called out a greeting to him as he passed and headed for the beans. He found Rosethorn weeding in-between the plants, to give them the room that they needed to grow.

"What do you want, boy?" asked Rosethorn without looking up from her work.

"Well, I was uh, wondering if you could help me with the shakkan?"

"Oh all right. I know you are not going to stop pestering me until we get it done." Rosethorn stood up and dusted herself off. She then beckoned to Briar to follow her back into the house. Once entered, she led him to her workroom. "Go get the shakkan and all the equipment, boy."

Briar ran off and quickly came back with all of the needed supplies, even though it did take him two trips. He laid everything out on a workbench, and Rosethorn proceeded in telling him what he had to do.

After the shakkan had been repotted into a new pot and watered, Rosethorn looked at her student. "Boy, we need to get rid of some of these buds. Which ones do you want to keep?"

"Get rid of the buds?" Briar gaped. "But won't that kill it? Why? I don't want to hurt it."

"Briar, shakkans are grown to be small. If you let them keep every bud they grow, then they won't be a shakkan anymore because they aren't holding the proper shape. Pruning is required, even if you do not want to do it."

Briar took a shaky breath and nodded. Taking a small pair of scissors, he cut off the buds that Rosethorn instructed him to do so. It gave him a sharp pain, almost as if someone was pinching him very hard. And it happened each time a bud was cut off. Briar felt tears spring to his eyes but quickly blinked them back. He didn't want Rosethorn to see him crying.

After what felt like an eternity, which couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes, the shakkan was done being trimmed. Rosethorn nodded in satisfaction. This boy certainly had a gift with the plants. "Run along Briar, go put that shakkan somewhere safe. Then you can nail in your shelf if Tris is up. Under no circumstance are you allowed to wake her.

Briar nodded and carried his shakkan out of the workroom to run into Sandry. "Briar, are you all right,?" she asked kindly, seeing a tear that had started to leak out of his eye.

"I'm fine, Sandry. Pruning hurt us."

"Here, take this," she said offering Briar a silk handkerchief. "I think the lady who made them thought that I was going to cry for months."

Briar brushed past the offered handkerchief and walked to his room, where he lovingly set the shakkan back on top of the dresser. Sandry watched him as he did that. '_Briar certainly is an odd boy. In a good way though,' _she thought to herself. He was sharp tongued one minute, and kind the next. She didn't know what to make of him.

The ex-thief exited his room and walked back to Sandry. "Do you know if Coppercurls is awake yet," he asked nodding at the ceiling.

"I don't know. I'll go check." Sandry tiptoed up the stairs to come face to face with Daja who was on her way down.

"Don't bother," she said in Trader talk, "Merchant girl is still asleep."

Briar growled softly underneath his breath from beneath the landing. "Is she gonna sleep all day? I wanna get started on my shelf. Maybe I'll go wake her myself," he muttered under his breath in Trader talk.

"Boy, what words did I hear come out of your mouth just now? What did I specifically say about Tris?"

Briar looked down at his feet and scuffed a barefoot in the floorboards. "You said that under no circumstance was I allowed to wake her."

"That is correct. Now what were you just about to do?"

"Give her a little wake up call. But I was gonna let Little Bear do it." Rosethorn cuffed him lightly.

"When I said that, it included getting others to do your dirty work for you. Now go to your room and stay there until I tell you to come out. And no going out the window. My plants will tell me if you take one step out of that room."

Briar went into his room and closed the door. He had no intention of staying in his room, and since Rosethorn said her plants would tell her if he took a **step** out of his room... well that led to some possibilities.

He carefully opened his window and looked up. There was a white garden trellis on the side of the house, and there were no plants on it. The only problem was, he would have to make about a five foot leap, catch it, and climb to safety, with no one seeing him. That would be the tricky part. The kitchen window looked right at that area. Hopefully, no one would be looking as he made his jump.

Briar climbed onto the window ledge and suddenly didn't know if this was such a good idea. He had no free area for him to get a running start. It would all be a spring and a lucky catch. Briar took a deep breath, judged his distance, and leaped.

His hand snagged on the edge of the trellis and he quickly hoisted himself onto it, glad at that moment that he was so light. No shouts were heard, meaning that no one had seen him. That was good.

The dark-haired boy scrambled up the trellis and climbed to the safety of the rooftop. It was certainly a wonderful view from up here. The sky stretched on for miles, dedicates and novices walked along roads, the birds were singing, the sun was shining, what could be better?

Briar lay back on the shingles and was content to just watch the clouds glide by. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours, and Briar found himself dozing lightly on the roof and was startled awake by Tris, who had woken up from her long nap to get some fresh air.

The young merchant had found Briar sleeping on the roof, and to her he had seemed quite dead, because, without him being aware of it, he had fallen asleep meditating to the clouds and was breathing slower than he normally would have.

Briar sprang to his feet, instincts bringing his hands to where he used to have his knives. When he saw who it was, he inwardly groaned. No way was Tris going to not tell on him for leaving his room.

"Shhh. Be quiet Coppercurls! Do you want me to get caught?"

"Caught? What do you mean?" asked Tris, who had by now come over her scare.

'I'm supposed to be in my room, not up here-"

Briar was interrupted when pounding feet were heard coming for the attic ladder. "Tris," called a worried Lark, "are you all right?" The sound of feet coming up the ladder started and Briar turned to Tris.

"Not a word," he breathed softly before leaping off the side of the roof, catching the trellis (by a completely lucky grab), and swinging back into his room.

At that moment, Lark reached the roof with Sandry and Daja hot on her heels. "Tris, what happened, honey?"

"N-N-Nothing," Tris stammered. To tell the truth, she had just had a minor heart attack when Briar had jumped off the roof. She cautiously went over to the edge and peered over. There was no body sprawled out on the ground. That had to be good at least.

Sandry joined her after Lark had gone downstairs. "Are you sure nothing weird happened?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Unless," she whispered, "Briar jumping off the roof is ordinary?"

"Briar?" asked Daja coming up behind them. "What was he doing up here? I thought I heard Rosethorn confine him to his room until further notice."

"She did," said Sandry thoughtfully. "But she also said that she would know if he took a step out of room, no matter what escape route he used. So how did he get up here?"

Daja leaned over the edge, so far Sandry thought that her friend was going to fall off. "There's a trellis on the side of the house. It's a pretty long reach, but do you think he jumped to it and then climbed up here?"

The other two girls took a look. "Do you think he could even jump that far?" asked Sandry. "I know I would probably kill myself if I even tried."

"Well," said Daja, "he is agile enough to do it, but I don't even know if you just jump off the roof and make it inside before we got up here. Tris, after he jumped, how long did it take for Lark to get up here?"

"Not more than a few seconds. And I'm assuming he made it safely because he's not dead, and the plants haven't gone crazy yet."

The girls trooped off the roof and back into the main house, where they could hear Lark making quite a racket trying to cook dinner and to stop Little Bear from eating the meal that was being prepared.

"Should we go check on him?" asked Sandry quietly, not wanting to be heard but not really having to worry due to the noise.

"I don't think we are supposed to visit with him. But I do think that Rosethorn might have been a little harsh on him."

"It's not like he learned anything," said Tris sternly. "He ended up sneaking out of his room and spending who knows how long on the roof? I don't know what kind of punishment that is."

"True," agreed Sandry, "but she should let him out. I mean, even if he did disobey, at least he kept quiet so that you could rest, Tris."

"Oh all right. Let's go ask if Rosethorn will let him out. But remember," she said, "this was not my idea."

They had reached the bottom the stairs when they heard Lark call them all in for supper. Rosethorn arrived with Briar a few moments that they had all sat down. The food was blessed, and everyone began to eat. Little Bear was in the corner eating a bowl of scraps that Lark had saved.

Briar was just starting to relax. Rosethorn hadn't found anything out, so he assumed Tris hadn't said anything, at least not to the dedicates. He was pretty sure that he had given her a right scare by jumping off the roof. Hopefully that would keep her quiet. But Briar had thought he was safe too soon.

An English ivy plant was creeping into the kitchen through the open window. It went immediately to Rosethorn and started speaking with her. Briar noticed that they were talking quietly so that not even he could pick up on what their conversation was about.

Rosethorn nodded to the plant, which then withdrew back into the garden. Rosethorn turned to fix her piercing glare on Briar. Her eyes looked like little chips of hard ice. "The ivy had something very important to tell me, Briar. Why were you out of your room?"

**Author's Notes:**

**I am so very sorry that this took so long to get up! This last week has been completely hectic, with band concerts all weekend, a scholastic bow meet inRockford, meet in Sycamore, and just way to much homework! But I should be open for a little while...**

**On a happier note, tomorrow is my 16th birthday! Sweet 16 and golden birthday all in one!! So if you are feeling nice, you could leave a review. n.n**

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**warrior of tortall**: Awwww, thankies for adding me! it makes me feel special. n.n

**The Summer Stars**: Well happy early birthday! I probably won't update till after then, so I can wish it to you early. n.n That was her worst aspect, Briar wasn't in every chappie. We love Briar! n.n

**TamiaEternity**: Glad you love it! This isn't exactly soon, but it is updated n.n

**IcyPanther**: Yep that was Crane. At least Briar got away safely, ne?

**Sorceress Sakura**: I ended up checking out the books (although they have been retuned) but I'm hoping to get them for either my birthday of Christmas. n.n. Since you love Briar so much, I'm going to give you something. :: hands Sorceress Sakura Briar plushie::


	8. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: I might have gotten the whole series as a Christmas present this year, but I am still not even close to owning it.**

**Not Where I Belong**

**Chapter Eight**

**From Last Time:**

**Rosethorn nodded to the plant, which then withdrew back into the garden. Rosethorn turned to fix her piercing glare on Briar. Her eyes looked like little chips of hard ice. "The ivy had something very important to tell me, Briar. Why were you out of your room?"**

* * *

Briar looked up, startled, that she had found out. The plants had told her. He must have triggered something, or maybe they were just watchful. Either way, he knew that he was in a lot of trouble.

Rosethorn watched his reaction, and when she saw his mouth about to open, to protest, she held up a hand. But Briar involuntarily cringed away, expecting a slap. Every adult that he had known in his ten years had always hit kids. Whether it be drink, drugs, rage, the kid was in the way, it didn't matter, the result was always the same. The only people he had never seen hit anyone were Rosethorn, Lark, and Niko. But Rosethorn certainly looked dangerous enough to start right now.

The Earth dedicate, sensing the retreat from her pupil as soon as she raised her hand, let it fall gently back to her side. "I'm not going to hit you, boy," she said, "I just want to know why you were outside. But don't think for a moment that I'm not mad at you, you deliberately disobeyed my orders, now, pray tell, why?"

Briar risked a glance at his teacher, and gave a small sigh of relief when he saw that her hand had been lowered to her side. "I don't like being inside," he whispered, keeping one eye on Rosethorn and the other on her arm, just in case she changed her mind.

"You don't like being inside?" Briar gave a small nod. As the young boy sat and watched her, apprehensiveness in his green eyes, Rosethorn pondered over a memory that she had almost forgotten about until now.

* * *

**Flashback**

A small, girl, with short, auburn hair, was playing in the front of a small cottage, surrounded by flowers and leaves from the nearby garden. Her name was Niva. A woman stood on the doorstep, watching the child laugh gaily when the flowers spiraled around her. She knew that Niva had powers, knew that one day that she would be great, her daughter was one with the plants.

"Niva, time to come in for supper."

"Yes, Mother." Niva stood up from her seat and dusted herself off. Then turning to the plants she whispered a quick good bye and said that she would be back tomorrow. Niva went inside and washed up for supper and then sat down to eat with her mother and father.

The next day, Niva woke up with what she described to her mother as, "My nose won't stop running, I think it's almost as fast as the river." Niva's mother assumed that her daughter was coming down with a cold from being outside too much, seeing as the weather was getting a tad cooler.

But day by day, Niva continued to get worse. The family had the doctor come and see what was wrong with their only child, why she wasn't getting better. The doctor didn't know what to do for the sickly child, nothing that he gave the family to cure her was working.

Niva, on the other hand, had an idea, but no one would listen to her. "Mother," she would whisper everyday, "please, let me go outside."

The doctor would hear none of that. "She will get even sicker, it is getting colder." Niva's father agreed. Her mother, wanted to believe her daughter, but she couldn't see how going outside in the cold could make Niva better.

"Mother, I don't like being inside," she said barely above a whisper when her mother came in to give her the non effective medicine. "I need to go outside, please, Mother."

Niva's mother, who had been steadily watching her daughter grow weaker, thinner, and paler by the day, decided then and there that Niva would go outside. After carefully wrapping Niva in thick blankets, her mother picked up her daughter's light form, and carried her outside.

"Bring me to my resting spot, please," Niva whispered. Niva's resting spot was under the large red oak tree, where she played as often as she could in the bright sunshine with her flowers and plants.

Niva was carefully placed on the ground, the flowers whose leaves had been closed, opened immediately, and began questioning the young girl to why she had not been outside for so long.

Her mother watched in amazement, as the flowers began to climb up her arms, and gradually, the color started to return to Niva's body, until she was glowing a rosy warm color, she was healed.

"Mother," Niva said smiling, "I feel all better now."

Niva's mother picked he up and hugged her close. "I knew you were close to the plants, my sweet Niva, but never this close. From now on, you can go outside whenever you want."

**End Flashback**

* * *

Rosethorn smiled to herself. Since that day, her mother had made certain that she had gotten outside to be among Mother Nature and all of her wonders. So this was how it was with Briar as well. He had probably never gone a day without being outside, seeing as he had lived on the streets. He needed the sunshine just as much as her.

The Earth Dedicate leaned across the table and took Briar's chin in her hands. He stared, his eyes now more of a lime green, back into her brown eyes. Rosethorn could see the fear that lingered in the green depths, but also something that spoke of the Earth. "You are one with the plants, Briar Moss," she said quietly. She then dropped his chin and stood up, heading to her garden.

The four students and Lark stared after her, all, even Lark, in shock. No punishment had been assigned, no threats, just a simple sentence, a compliment, something rarely heard from Rosethorn, had been given.

Sandry, Daja, and Tris all then turned their attention to their housemate, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Briar?" asked Sandry tentatively, "is everything all right?"

"One with the plants," murmured Briar to himself. "Oh, did you say something Sandry?" he asked, turning his attention to the girls.

"Yes. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be on the roof." Briar stood up abruptly and disappeared up the staircase, headed for the trapdoor that would take him to the top of the cottage.

"Was it something I said?" asked Sandry worriedly.

"No, dear," responded Lark, "I think that Briar needs some time to sort his thoughts out." To herself, Lark thought, _'I did not see that coming from Rosethorn, of all people.' _

Briar had not been expecting to here that either. And he did need some time to think. What had Rosethorn meant, that he was one with the plants? He knew he liked plants, he knew he felt safer when he was around them, he knew now that he had magic with plants, but to be one with the plants?

Rosethorn, he had assumed, became one with them after studying them, seeing as she had studied at Lightsbridge. But he was from the streets, a street rat. How was it possible for him to already be tied to the plants?

Was this why the shakken had picked him? Had it known about him? Had it sensed his unusual powers? It was exciting, and yet almost disturbing at the same time.

Briar crawled over to the edge of the roof and peered to the garden, where he was sure that he would find Rosethorn tending her garden. And sure enough, Rosethorn was kneeling between the many rows of green beans, coaxing them to climb up a long pole so that they could get the proper light that they needed to grow.

The young plant mage watched in awe as the plants began to twine themselves around the poles. Rosethorn was amazing. She had so much power and strong will inside of her. He wanted to be like her. Of course, not with the snappish attitude. But he admired that about her for some odd reason or another.

Rosethorn could feel someone watching her. Glancing up from her beans, she scanned the roof, but didn't see anyone, Briar had retreated to deeper part of the roof to stay out of sight.

"I know you are up there, boy. Come down here." Briar peeped around the corner and saw Rosethorn's piercing gaze staring straight at him. He walked to the edge of the roof, stared at the distance, shook his head, and went inside to emerge a few moments later from the back door.

Briar walked over to his teacher and stood in front of her; staring at his feet as he scuffed them in the grass. "You wanted me," he whispered, still a bit timid that she would decide to hit him.

"Look at people when you talk to them, boy. It makes you easier to understand. Now, come here. I am going to teach you how to take care of the tomato plants."

Briar looked up, partially in shock. Rosethorn prized her tomato plants and she was going to let him help. It was unthinkable. He glanced up to respond, but when he looked up, he locked eyes with Rosethorn's scrutinizing gaze. He quickly looked back down, most people never looked at him like that.

"Briar, look at me." Briar couldn't ignore the command in her voice and he looked at Rosethorn. "I am very disappointed in you, Briar. You deliberately disobeyed me. And you will be punished." Briar's eyes widened in shock, he knew it, Rosethorn was going to hit him.

Instead, Rosethorn took his hands in hers and studied them. She ran a thumb over each tattoo branded on his hands. Briar watched her fearfully waiting for something to happen. "I'm not going to punish you like other people would have," she said softly. "I would never intentionally hurt you, Briar."

"Then what are you going to do to me?"

"For punishment you will have no dessert, no visiting Dedicate Gorse or the kitchens, and no leaving the yard for the next week. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Rosethorn." Briar nodded.

"Good. No that that is settled, why don't we go take a look at those tomato plants?"

For the next hour, Rosethorn showed Briar how to tell when a tomato needed to be picked, how to get the tomatoes off the plant without injuring either, how to tie a plant up if it was leaning, how to tell if a plant was carrying too much fruit and needed to be harvested, and if the plant was dying or had dying parts, she taught him what mixtures you could give to it to cure it.

By the end of the lesson, Briar was feeling much better and proud of himself for learning. By this time, dusk had fallen and the garden was starting to become filled with shadows. "Come along, boy, time to go inside. You can come out again in the morning. And I'm sure that you want to check on your shakken?"

Briar leapt up from his position in the dirt. "My shakken! I completely forgot about it. I hop it isn't mad at me." With a hasty good bye to the tomatoes, Briar bolted inside past all the other occupants who stared at him as he ran past them and into his bedroom. Rosethorn followed at a more sedated pace.

"Whose after him?" questioned Daja. "He was acting like their was an evil spirit after him."

Rosethorn gave a small laugh. "Oh no, nothing like that. He afraid that his shakken is mad at him because he forgot about it."

"Oh is that all?" Tris shrugged and buried her nose back in the thick volume about wind currents she was studying.

"All right you three," said Lark. "I think that it is time you all went to bed. We have a lot to do tomorrow. Good night."

The girls stood up and said good night to the dedicates and disappeared into their respective rooms. Rosethorn looked at her long time friend. "Yes?"

"You know me too well, Rosethorn," Lark said smiling. "I wanted to ask, why did you say what you did to Briar?"

"Because he is one with them Lark. He might not know it yet, but I certainly do. I can see it as all the plants come out to greet him, the way they all seem to be more alive when he is around, how he seems more alive when he is with them. But most importantly how he reminds me of me."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Took me six months to update, but I am alive! -cheers- Hopefully the next chapter will not take six months to put up - I'm out of school as of today, and since I never got a summer job, don't have to worry about that, but my mom has long lists of stuff for me to do! I would like to give a big thank you to all of those who reviewed! Even though I wasn't updating, you guys kept reviewing and that made me make time to write this! Thank you for all sticking by me!

If this chapter has extra errors, I apologize. I wanted to get it up ASAP and didn't want to have to wait for my beta.

Some of you may have noticed that I took part of a chapter out. That was because I mixed up the first two books. So you will see thar part again in further chapters!

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**TamiaEternity: **I'm glad that you are glad. Hope this update made you even happier!

**Lady Light:** Thankies very much.

**Sorceress Sakura:** -hands new Briar plushie- Don't kill this one! xD

**yoyogirl:** Thank you very much! Drama queens just love the torture!

**Queen of ditz world:** Yep, that was only chapter two! Hope you finished reading!

**Writermage:** Thanks a bunch for the correct information! I don't care if the reviews are signed in or not, cause just like you there are other people who aren't old enough for an account, but that shouldn't stop them from reviewing!

**Padfoot:** I'm working on both n.n

**FabeleiNormanSugar:** LOL if Rosethorn did hear you say that! I would love to go into the books, it would be so much fun! Wonder what power I would have?

**Leira925:** Muchas Gracias! I know a little espanol tambien! Glad you like it!

**Anonymouse:** Seeing as they are only 10 I can't do the romance yet, but we are going to get there n.n


	9. Chapter Nine

**A/N: I had quite a number of questions regarding Rosethorn's flashback. For those of you who don't know, or don't remember, Niva was what Rosethorn was called when she was still an initiate. Just as Crane was called Isas. Now, onto the fic!**

Briar woke up to find himself buried beneath his blankets, his arms tangled up and unavailable to help him get his pet off of him. Little Bear had woken up and gone in search of a friendly person and had happened to stumble upon Briar. The dog was now happily licking his young master all over the face, and the young plant mage was helpless to stop it.

'_If I open my mouth to call for help, he'll probably get his tongue in.' _Briar shuddered at the thought. Five minutes later, Little Bear lost interest in Briar and went off in search of a new victim.

The black haired boy untangled himself from his bed and made his way over to his washstand and started scrubbing at his face with a washcloth. '_Never thought I'd see the day when I decided that I wanted to get clean.'_ Briar shook his head at his wall and made his way out of his room. He wasn't even going to try to go back to bed with that dog running loose.

Upon entering the kitchen, Briar was surprised to see Sandry boiling water on the stove. She must have heard him, for without turning she asked, "Would you like a cup of tea, Briar?"

Briar accepted the cup and sat down at his usual seat at the table. Sandry joined him a few minutes later. "Sandry, what are you doing up so early?"

"I was about to ask you the same question," she replied. "I had a bad dream about my parents. What about you?"

"A crazy dog came in and decided that it was time for me to get up." A scream was heard from upstairs. "Looks like he got Coppercurls too."

Sandry clapped her hands to her mouth. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry Briar. It didn't even occur to me that Little Bear had spent the night in my room."

"I wouldn't be apologizing to me, Sandry, but to Tris when she gets down here. She doesn't sound to happy about losing sleep." And indeed, there was a breeze blowing through the house and rattling things around the kitchen that should not have been there.

Sandry winced. "Oh dear, Tris is definitely not going to be very happy. At least she likes Little Bear, right?" Sandry walked around the kitchen, pulling off Tris's and Daja's mugs from the rack where the residents of Discipline kept their dishes. "At least I can make her a nice hot cup of tea for when she gets down... Daja will probably want one too..."

Briar shook his head at his teacup. This was just like Sandry, worrying about how everyone else would feel before considering her own feelings. "Duchess, it's okay. I'm pretty sure she won't be too mad. Besides it's almost eight, everyone should be getting up soon." Briar grinned.

"Easy for you to say," grumbled a sleepy eyed Tris who made her way into the kitchen and plopped down at the table. "You are probably used to getting up at all hours of the day. This Merchant needs her sleep." Tris pointed an accusing finger at Briar and then took the teacup that Sandy was holding out to her.

Daja appeared in the doorway a few moments later with an ivory ball of fuzz trailing after her. "Little Bear certainly is up and about this morning," Daja yawned. "Do you think he needs something?"

Sandry shrugged and walked over the door that led into Rosethorn's garden. As soon as she opened it, Little Bear bounded out, and disappeared behind the shed to do his business. The young noble smiled and then set about preparing breakfast for the residents of Discipline.

"So," drawled Briar, "what do you think we're gonna do today?

"You, young buck," said Rosethorn as she entered the kitchen wearing a fresh robe, "are going to help me with one of my favorite things, weeding."

"Weeding, weeding, weeding, don't you _ever _do anything else?"

"I do, but this is the season to weed. As soon as you are done eating we shall start."

Briar groaned and lightly banged his head on the table, but after he had drunken his tea and eaten a large bowl of oatmeal he got changed and followed Rosethorn into the garden. Now, Boy, tell mw why we need to weed, and don't tell me it's because I want to work you too hard."

The ex-thief had a pretty good reason as to why he thought people weeded, their were Bags' houses all over that had their own gardener to keep their yards looking beautiful. But he didn't want to make Rosethorn mad if he got it wrong, she probably expected him to already know the answer.

"Errr... I ain't sure if this is right, -"

"Boy, first of all it's I'm not sure and second I don't expect you to know everything, just give me a guess."

"Well, don't you have to weed so that the roots are able to get enough nutrients from the soil without crowding each other?"

Rosethorn gave a hint of a smile. "That's right, boy. See you do know more than you think you do."

Briar's cheeks turned a light shade of pink at the praise and looked at his feet. Still staring at the ground, he mumbled, "so are we going to get started or what?"

"Yes we are. Seeing as the tomatoes seemed to like you so much, I've decided that you will be weeding their patch." Rosethorn led Briar over to the tomatoes and bent down so that she was even with the tomato plants that were growing at a steady pace. "Boy, I only want you to pull the weeds. If I see you pulling out any of my shoots I'll hang you in the well. Is that clear?"

The young boy nodded vigorously not wanting to get into any trouble here if he could help it. "Ummm, Rosethorn?"

"What is it, boy?" asked Rosethorn as she pulled weeds away from her corn stalks.

"How exactly do I tell if it's a weed or not?" Briar blushed slightly with embarrassment and inwardly cringed expecting a slap even though Rosethorn had told him just the day before that she would never hit him.

Rosethorn saw the cringe and sighed. Briar would never be able to face the world if all that he had always known was constantly in his mind. So, the Earth Dedicate knew what she had to do. "Briar, come here."

Briar looked up slightly startled that she had actually used his name and not Boy. He padded over quietly and stood in front of his teacher, eyes downcast.

"Briar, I want you to look into my eyes." Briar chanced a hesitant glance up, but quickly looked back down. Rosethorn bit back a sigh; this was a repeat of the previous day. "Briar. In order to overcome your fear you must face it. Now look into my eyes and let yourself be assured that I would never hurt you."

The newly found plant mage looked into her deep brown eyes and didn't see what he'd been anticipating. There was no anger or hatred in her gaze. Instead kindness, a sense of authority, and Briar was somewhat surprised, which turned to a feeling of ease when her saw the trust and promise that she would protect him.

"You see, I don't hate you, I won't hurt you, and I'll keep you safe Briar. Nothing will change that, no matter what happens. But I will still hang you in the well. As to your question, use your powers. Feel for the plants. Learn the touch, the smell, breathe in the taste and you will know what to pull. You'll know if you make a mistake."

Briar rubbed the back of his head, gave a small smile, whispered, "thank you," so quietly that Rosethorn almost missed it, and then headed back to the tasty red fruits. He kneeled down next to the plants and dug his fingertips into the fresh soil. Willing a tendril of his power to leave the wound it though the roots and explored this new territory.

He could feel the growth of the plants and within moments had stumbled across something that was definitely not a tomato plant root. This new addition to his area was a power hungry source that was invading the area that his plants needed to use to grow strong and healthy. Briar knew at once that this was a weed.

Opening his eyes without even knowing when he had closed them, he found his hand hovering over a plant that was slightly shorter than the tomatoes but bore an incredibly close resemblance. However, to Briar's senses this green thing radiated a different smell than what he knew to be a tomato plant. He firmly grasped the base of the offending weed and pulled, dragging the root out along with the leaves so that it would never grow back again.

After weeding for an hour Briar was starting to wonder how Rosethorn managed to do this day after day. His back hurt from constantly bending over, the sun had risen quite a bit and was making him sweat, and he was starting to get hungry even though he'd only eaten a little over an hour ago.

Rosethorn looked up from her work (she was now weeding the beans) when she noticed that Briar had stopped weeding the enormously large tomato garden. "Are you done yet, boy?"

Briar looked over at his instructor. "Almost. I never realized how many weeds could be in one area."

"Well, after you finish we shall take a break and get some lunch. Does that work with you?" Briar nodded and set back to work with a vigor with the prospect of food so close. Half an hour later Briar had finished his weeding duties and jumped up from the tomato patch.

"Come on, Rosethorn! Let's go get lunch!" Rosethorn stood up gingerly from her beans and headed towards the house. Upon entering it was clear that the girls were at their lessons. Briar could hear Lark teaching Sandry how to spin wool without losing control of the spindle.

Rosethorn bustled around the kitchen and prepared a fruit salad, which she set on the table along with a tray that had thick slices of bread and some meat and cheese so that you could make your own sandwich. "Boy, go see if Lark and Sandry would like to take their meal with us."

Briar knocked on Lark's workroom door and then carefully poked his head in. "Rosethorn wants to know if you want to have lunch with us..." he trailed off, not knowing quite what else to say. Sandry smiled and readily agreed that her fingers were starting to cramp up.

"We'd be happy to join you, Briar," Lark said as she began to clean up her work area. "We can start again after we've eaten, Sandry. Just let us pick up and we will be right out, Briar."

The black head nodded once and ducked out of the room and began to gently set out plates and silverware for everyone to use. Minutes later, two mages and two apprentices were sitting out and eating happily.

Sandry glanced at Briar as she neatly ate a strawberry off of her fork. "So, what have you been doing in the garden, Briar?"

"Weeding the tomato plants. It's weeding season after all. What have you been doing?"

The young noble looked at her hands that were now folded in her lap. I'm still trying to make a decent piece of wool. No matter how hard I try I just can't seem to get it. Children could do it better than me."

Lark patted Sandry comfortingly on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Sandry. I'm sure you will get it really soon and then you'll be able to do a lot more. I can feel it."

Sandry gave a small smile. "Thanks, Lark. I think I needed to hear that." The conversation then turned to something that I was going on with Crane and his greenhouse. The two students were content to listen to their teachers talk and Briar continued to eat.

After lunch was finished both groups went back to working (Briar was moved to the squashes) and work commenced for the rest of the afternoon with a break in the middle so that Briar could get a snack.

It was a quiet day, and nobody knew what the next day was going to bring. What they didn't know was that they were not going to like it.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Hey everyone! I know it has been a very long time, I ended up getting a job anyway. I am a Target Team Member. I received a review recently and had the urge to finish typing this chapter and get it uploaded. Hope you all liked it! Comments and reviews are always welcome and a big thank you to all of you who have stuck with this story and reviewed it! It means a lot to me. The next chapter should be up a lot sooner than this one took!


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